Updated: 3/7/16 – Since we published this article on 2/29 16 we have been contacted by more than one shop who has stated that laste last summer they were visited by multiple EPA representatives. These representatives requested records and began questioning the shop owners. The shop owners immediately sought the advice of legal counsel and declined further comment to EPA questioning. Due to the ongoing nature of these shop owner’s situations we can not name them in this story or update. However, the threat would seem to be more real than we thought.

On July 13, 2015, the EPA introduced a new proposal for new regulations related to heavy-duty vehicles. As part of a directive from the Obama administration for the EPA to develop guidelines for heavy-duty vehicles that “will take us well into the next decade.”

The opening paragraphs of the 629-page proposal quickly outline the vehicles involved as “Combination tractors; trailers used in combination with those tractors; heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans; and vocational vehicles.” These regulations are according to the proposal and slated to take effect in 2018.

For most of our audience reading this, it would seem then that these new regulations have nearly zero impact on the world of automotive performance, and the automotive aftermarket, right? After all, who doesn’t want cleaner semi-trucks, and even cleaner heavy-duty pickups and vans? Rather it is the wording and references placed inconspicuously into these proposals relating specifically to race cars that has SEMA and the automotive enthusiast world in a flurry.

Under the proposed regulations, cars like Power Automedia’s own Project BlownZ would be illegal to build.

Buried on page 321 in the document is the following: 67. Section 86.1854-12 is amended by adding paragraph (b)(5) to read as follows:

§ 86.1854-12 Prohibited acts. * * * * *(b) * * *(5) Certified motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines and their emission control devices must remain in their certified configuration even if they are used solely for competition or if they become nonroad vehicles or engines; anyone modifying a certified motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine for any reason is subject to the tampering and defeat device prohibitions of paragraph (a)(3) of this section and 42 U.S.C. 7522(a)(3).

Given that this document is originally outlined in its opening to deal with heavy-duty vehicles, this particular language comes as both a surprise and a shock to many enthusiasts. In early February 2016 the Internet erupted with all manner of stories regarding this proposed regulation. Some of those articles amounted to fear mongering, others discounted the proposal entirely, and some presented the facts.

We spoke with Ashley Ailsworth, an attorney for SEMA, regarding these proposed regulations to find out what the EPA is up to with concern to the automotive aftermarket, how this may impact enthusiasts, and what each enthusiast can do to help stop something that appears to have an extreme detriment to our hobby, and even our way of life.

Normally these four vehciles might not have much in common. Under the proposed regulations all of them would be affected.

Breaking Down The Language

The Clean Air Act was never supposed to apply to race cars, and has even been amended by Congress in the past to leave room for enthusiasts. -Ashley Ailsworth, Attorney for SEMA

Certified motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines are pretty much any car or truck you can walk into the dealership and buy. Anything street legal, that came with emissions equipment would fall under this category. Engines would cover any OEM type replacement engine.

According to Ailsworth, what the language within this proposed guideline represents is a complete 180-degree shift on the EPA’s position of building a race car. If the race car to be built was originally sold as a street legal vehicle, it would fall under this rule, and the rule would make it illegal to modify that vehicle in any way that impacts its emissions profile — even if that vehicle is no longer going to be used on public roads.

Building a race car from a newly-purchased street car would be illegal under the proposed EPA guidelines.

“The Clean Air Act was never supposed to apply to race cars, and has even been amended by Congress in the past to leave room for enthusiasts,” says Ailsworth. “This represents a major position change by the EPA from their previous position, which excluded vehicles that were used solely for competition purposes.”

Imagine this scenario. You’re an enthusiast. You start building a car as a bolt-on affair. The project escalates, and eventually you make it to a level where the car is no longer safe, practical, or useful as a street vehicle. Whether that vehicle is a drag car, road racer, rally car, or off-road truck, you continue to modify and race your vehicle, but it never sees public streets. Previously the EPA had no issues with this, however, that position has changed. “The EPA’s new position as outlined in this guideline is that you may race your vehicle, it’s just illegal to modify it in any way that would alter it from its original emissions certification,” says Ailsworth.

But isn’t a race car considered a “non-road” vehicle? According to Ailsworth racecars are not considered non-road vehicle by the EPA. “Non-road vehicles are outlined by the EPA as airplanes, boats, trains, dirt bikes, ATVs, and lawn mowers,” says Ailsworth.

The proposed regulation also impacts emissions certified vehicle engines, making it illegal to modify or use those engines, or install them in a race vehicle in a manner that changes their emissions profile from original. That has the potential to impact the engine swap and engine-building world that rely on core engines to start builds, or engine swaps to build cars. Under this regulation using an emission certified engine out of the junkyard to build as a racing or modified engine would also be outlawed.

Many engine swaps, and building racing engines from junkyard cores, would also be outlawed under the proposed regulations.

What Is The EPA’s Endgame?

Ailsworth says SEMA representatives have spoken to the EPA regarding this proposal. The EPA has maintained that this is not a position change, and that they are simply “clarifying” its previous positions. That’s not all, however. Ailsworth also says it appears that the EPA’s goal is to be able to bring enforcement actions against the aftermarket, shops, enthusiasts, or anyone that it deems is violating these regulations.

These lawsuits, or enforcement actions, would allow the EPA to pursue legal action against aftermarket manufacturers for producing products that change the emissions profile of any road-going vehicle. If the government wins this case, the EPA would be able to assess fines against the manufacturer for all products sold that were named in the suit, and could potentially seize manufacturing equipment to produce those products.

The steep fines, plus seizures of property, could result in a number of companies, both large and small, potentially being put out of business by the EPA. The economic impact alone has the potential to cost the United States economy billions of dollars in the loss of sale of those products, and thousands of jobs from displaced workers if the manufacturer was forced to shut down.

The EPA’s new position as outlined in this guideline is that you may race your vehicle, it’s just illegal to modify it in any way that would alter it from its original emissions certification. -Ashley Ailsworth, Attorney for SEMA

Shops would not be immune either. While smaller outfits might be small fish in a big sea, larger, better-known builders of race cars, engine builders, and installers might see serious consequences. Consider that the language allows for altering emissions certified engines. This means it could be interpreted that a junkyard engine, pulled from a modern emissions certified vehicle, and modified beyond its EPA emissions profile, would be illegal to both perform these modifications on, to sell that engine, to install it in any vehicle, or to use it in any way.

This focus on parts used, or potentially used, on the road would impact nearly every aspect of the automotive aftermarket — including tuning, exhaust, fuel system, cylinder heads, intakes and intake manifolds, throttle bodies, power adders, rearend gear changes. You name it — if it impacts how the vehicle may pollute or consume fossil fuel, it’s fair game under the EPA’s new stance.

Industry Impact

The potential impact on the automotive aftermarket, small racing series, shops large and small, as well as all manner of retailers is nothing short of devastating. “If these proposals are finalized by the EPA and become regulations, they carry with them the force of law,” says Ailsworth. That means that the regulations carry severe penalties for both companies, and even potentially individuals who modify their own cars.

Imagine a world with no more drag racing series that are built around street cars. No more Trans Am, or SCCA cars built from existing chassis, where all engines must be crate engines, or stock engines, and must be installed in either tube chassis, body-in-white, or turnkey race cars. No more super stock, no more stock eliminator, no more modified classes.

Ailsworth says SEMA’s concern is that such a hostile stance by the EPA towards the automotive aftermarket could result in the loss of U.S. jobs and businesses. Companies that are based overseas, away from EPA regulations, will simply sell and ship their goods online from places like China and India. Customers would have to pay import taxes and tariffs, and lose the quality assurances that come with products made in the United States.

The potential impact to the aftermarket is nothing short of staggering. Jobs lost, enthusiasts forced to purchase products from overseas manufacturers, and irreparable damage to the U.S. economy.

What Can You Do?

If these proposals are finalized by the EPA and become regulations, they carry with them the force of law. – Ashley Ailsworth, Attorney for SEMA

SEMA, through the SEMA Action Network (SAN), is already working to fight this regulation. Due to the regulation being buried within heavy-duty vehicle regulations, SEMA did not discover the proposal regarding race cars and the aftermarket until sometime in December 2015. The original deadline for comments on this issue was October 1, 2015. However, Ailsworth says that the EPA is still accepting comments.

SEMA submitted its comments regarding the issue at the end of December. Those comments in full can be found at the end of this article.

As enthusiasts we must unite against regulations that are so detrimental to our hobby. This is a fight for the life of the automotive aftermarket against the juggernaut of the EPA, a government agency that has the full weight and support of the United States government behind it. It is a true David and Goliath match.

Automotive technology continues to advance at a pace that is faster than ever seen before in our industry. As tuning continues to further its complexity, the tools used for that tuning must also evolve to suit the needs of the end user. This is especially true when it comes to dyno tuning.

While many of us traditionally think of dyno tuning as making a few pulls and adjustments to obtain a higher horsepower and torque number, that’s only a small part of both the dyno’s usefulness to the tuner, and of what it is used for. We caught up with Dynocom’s Allison Blackstein and Chirs Moberg to discuss the latest from this innovator in dynamometer technology.

More Powerful, Easier To Use, Software

Traditionally dyno operators and tuners have used at least two computers to run their tuning operations. There’s the dyno computer, connected to the dyno itself, and the tuning computer, typically a laptop that is inside the car with the operator. There’s also often a control mechanism for the dyno as well. Dyncom’s latest version of its Quantum software has eliminated much of that.

The new unified logging capability of the Quantum software allows tuners and dyno operators to use just one laptop for everything. “Typically a tuner has managed one laptop for running a dyno and one for tuning the ECU. We’ve combined that so that a single laptop can be used to both control the dyno and to tune the ECU,” Moberg says.

This is made possible through Dynocom’s integration of third party tuning software capability, as well as its new virtual dyno controller. The virtual dyno controller is part of the quantum software that replicates the function and operation of the Dynocom handheld dyno controller, but does so via a laptop and Wi-Fi connection. The virtual controller appears on the dyno computer screen, and it looks and operates just as the physical controller would. “The virtual controller is operated by clicking a mouse, or using a touchscreen (on a touchscreen enabled device) to control dyno operation,” Moberg says.

In addition to the third party integration there’s also the Quantum software’s new unified logging capability. This allows dyno operators and tuners to compare data in one place. “Traditionally tuners have one set of information that is coming from the dyno on one computer, and other information coming from the ECU on the tuning computer. The new Quantum software allows users to view the data from the ECU alongside the dyno data. This gives a more complete picture and makes comparing data easier,” Moberg says. Say for example you’re tuning a car, and you want to monitor the changes you’re making along with the air/fuel ratio that the dyno is reading, or the power the car is making, or something else that needs to be compared between what the dyno shows occurring, and what the ECU is commanding. This will allow all of that to happen in one screen, making data analysis easier.

Traditionally tuners have one set of information that is coming from the dyno on one computer, and other information coming from the ECU on the tuning computer. The new Quantum software allows users to view the data from the ECU alongside the dyno data. This gives a more complete picture and makes comparing data easier. -Chris Moberg, Dynocom

The latest version of Quantum can also playback this data in a number of ways. Data can be displayed as gauges, linear, graphs, and other methods. It’s simply a matter of the end user specifying how they want to display the data.

Another interesting and useful feature are some of the testing profiles that come preloaded in the quantum software. Not every tuner, vehicle, or scenario is the same. As such, Dynocom has included multiple, easy to access and adjust, dyno operation profiles. An example of this that Moberg demonstrated is the diesel lug test. “Diesel engines tend to operate in a very narrow RPM window when compared to gasoline engines. One critical test for diesel tuning is a lug test. We’ve built in a predetermined profile that will conduct this test allowing a more accurate depiction of the diesel’s output and a better overall test.”

Ever wondered just how your tuning changes were going to play out on the track? Dynocom’s new Quantum software can do that as well. There’s a virtual drag race simulation that Moberg says is modeled after a gaming visualization. This simulation allows two tunes, or vehicles to be compared on the dyno. “We map the sets of dyno results onto the drag strip, and the way they performed on the dyno is played out on the virtual drag strip,” Moberg explained.

There’s also now a virtual drag racing function in the dynamo software. If you’ve wondered what your car might do up against a similar one that’s been on the same dyno, or maybe even how your car might perform now as compared to before this dyno session the two can be compared. Moberg says the dyno data is mapped onto a virtual drag strip and then run using a gaming style visualization.

In many tuning scenarios the final verdict and adjustments come after a road test. “The dyno does not represent all the forces that act on a car when its on the road. There’s no aerodynamic drag, no road friction, often the dyno testing is not taking into account the mass of the car. Virtual road simulation takes a very detailed engineering approach to dyno testing. The mass of the vehicle, the frontal area of the car, drag coefficient, rolling resistance of the tires. Many of these are a function of speed or speed squared. The computer calculates this and applies load to the eddy-brake to simulate this. The virtual road simulation allows the final tune in to be done on the dyno rather than doing a road test,” Moberg explained.

There’s more to the new Quantum software from Dynocom than we can even list in one article. Things like the new ribbon style interface, and a more dynamic, visual user experience that should make navigating the software easier than ever before. There are also considerations like the unified naming function for using third party software, allowing quick and easy display of third party ECU data in a logical manner. These are just a few of the various new features built into the latest version of Quantum.

Improved Air/Fuel System

Dynocom was also showing off its newly updated air/fuel system. According to Allison Blackstein, the system now switches on and defaults to Lambda, but can easily be changed to display air/fuel ratio with the flip of a switch. Additionally, the new Dynocom AFR system is compatible with gasoline or methanol fuel.

Other features include:

Two analog output ranges: the second range is wider at 0.55 to1.24 Lambda

Will work with NTK (supplied) 6mA, 4mA, and Bosch LSU4.2, and LSU4.9 sensors

The LT engine series represents GM’s latest in engine technology. Although it’s not been in production for much more than a year, GM’s LT4 engine represents the most powerful production short-block to ever sit between the fenders of a new Corvette. For enthusiasts who can’t afford the price tag of a new C7 Z06, there’s an alternative, putting this high-tech mill into your favorite muscle or performance car and having as much as humanly possible, courtesy of this 650 horsepower small-block marvel.

GM is releasing the LT4 for additional public consumption as a Chevrolet Performance crate engine. We spoke with Keith Wilson of Scoggin Dickey Parts Center (SDPC) about this upcoming engine release, and what it means for enthusiasts and his company. “These engines just shipped this week,” says Wilson, who also tells us SDPC has customers anxiously awaiting these for project car builds this winter.

“The LT4 offers many of the same great features as the LT1, but it has a forged rotating assembly, 356 T6 rotocast aluminum heads which are super robust. The engine retains splayed valving, direct injection, and all the other architecture that is inherent to the LT engine family,” says Wilson. As Wilson also points out however, where the power really comes from is the Eaton based 1,900cc supercharger, built to GM specifications and boosting the LT4’s performance by nearly 200 horsepower over its LT1 sibling.

GM is looking to make LT engine family swaps as easy as the LS engine swaps have been for the past decade-and-a-half. Wilson says, “If you’ve ever installed a GM LS crate engine you know how easy the controller kit can make the installation. The same thing is the case with the new LT engines. A lift pump is the only real difference between installing this and a LS. The lift pump is an electronic fuel pump that supplies fuel to the mechanical pump for the direct injection system.

Wilson says there are multiple front engine accessory drive options available through SDPC as well. “This engine can accommodate installations in various older cars.”

We have all the ancillary parts to go with the installation of this engine to make it a great installation. -Keith Wilson, Scoggin Dickey Parts Center

Chevrolet Performance is offering this engine in two part numbers, PN 19332621 for wet sump applications, which Wilson says utilizes a Cadillac CTS-V oil pan, and PN 19332702 for dry sump applications, which will require the use of a C7 Z06 oil tank, but will also allow for an even wider range of application fitments for this engine.

SDPC can offer all parts enthusiasts need to install from the controller kit and accessory drive components to hoses, plumbing, etc. “We have all the ancillary parts to go with the installation of this engine to make it a great installation,” Wilson says.

Wilson says that GM plans to make this engine readily available with enough supply to keep up with demand. He also says that when compared to the cost of the LS9 crate engine, the LT1 offers an excellent value.

A LS-powered Factory Five GTM supercar in the EFILive booth at the 2015 PRI show.

Aftermarket tuning for EFI has been around since the late 1980s or early 1990s, depending on who you talk to. We’ll spare you the history lesson, but suffice it to say that plenty has changed in the tuning world in the last 30 years. Todays tuning world is made up of a number of handheld devices marketed to the average enthusiast. However, for those looking to tune GM gas and diesel engines, as well as some Dodge diesels at a truly professional level, EFILive has one of the most advanced tuning solutions on the market.

The FlashScan V2 is not your over the parts counter handheld tuner. This is an extremely powerful tuning device.

At the 2015 PRI Show, we had an opportunity to participate in an EFILive gasoline tuning seminar. Quite simply, we were blown away by the capability and support that EFILive offers. With EFILive, tuners can create truly custom files, tailored specifically to their client’s needs. This is not tuning for the faint at heart, and EFILive requires that operator to have a familiarity with tuning, automotive diagnostics, drivability, and even basic mechanical operations before they ever touch a key.

EFILive’s two primary devices are the FlashScan V2 and the AutoCal. The FlashScan V2 is the primary device used by most tuners, while the AutoCal is a simpler device in its operation and can be sold to individual customers. The AutoCal can be locked to a specific vehicle, and the tune files secured, ensuring that end users don’t tamper with the work the tuner of origin created or that tunes are not stolen. Additionally, the AutoCal offers tuners the ability to send customers remote updates via email, so if a change is made, or an update available for a tune, a tuner can send it to the customer easily. EFI Live also offers an exceptional hardware value to tuners, and right now the company is offering a special on its hardware through December 22, 2015.

EFILive offers multiple methods for manipulating, smoothing, and viewing tables and other information, including data logging with multiple playback display options, 3D, linear, and table views of table data, and much more.

EFI Live also has a vast support community available for its tuners. The EFILive forum is packed full of information and helpful users. The users comprise a group of experienced tuners, who are often willing and able to help others out with advice, suggestions, and help getting a troublesome tune straightened out.

We took an in-depth look at EFILive hardware and software last spring, and you can find that information here. If you’re already an EFILive tuner, or interested in becoming one, if you’re a shop that it serious about GM diesel, or EFI tuning, EFILive is worth checking out.

CCW has always maintained the hallmark of providing high style and performance to its customers. At the 2015 SEMA Show, the company rolled out its latest Daytona series of wheels. Aimed at the Pro Touring, hot rod, and musclecar market, these wheels are packed with features both popular and in-demand. “CCW has always lended itself well to the performance market and we are marketing more towards the domestic side of things right now,” says CCW’s Keith Kern.

The Daytona series wheels are a two-piece offering featuring a forged center and spun outer rim. “The wheels offer a reversed soft look design,” Kern says. “Every design is long-legged.” Kern also says that the wheels are available in 1/8-inch increments for back-spacing. Fitments are available to fit over every brake system currently offered, with up to two-inch caliper clearance, including most modern six-piston calipers. The Daytona series will be available in 18-, 19-, and 20-inch fitments.

Aimed at the high-end and luxury performance markets, CCW’s new Monoblock series wheels are a lightweight forged design manufactured from a single piece of billet aluminum. These wheels are also available in 1/8-inch increments for offset, also in sizes 18, 19, and 20 inches.

“Keep your eyes on CCW in the coming year, we have our foot on the gas and we don’t plan to let up,” Kern says. “You’re going to see a lot of cool new offerings from CCW.”

At the 2015 SEMA Show, Weld Wheels emphasizing its Weld Street/Strip line of wheels with there new designs: Riverside, Miramar, and Speed 10 that are available in 17-, 18-, or 20-inch diameter.

“These wheels are a clean sheet of paper design, built for the street and strip instead of an outgrowth of our racing program,” says Weld’s Chris Bovis.

The GTS line of wheels introduced at the SEMA Show feature a two-piece forged construction. Both the rim shell and the center are forged and the two pieces are united with a 360-degree weld. Bovis says the wheels are available in both standard and custom offsets.

The Speed 10 (left) and the Riverside (right)

“We found the RT-S is a great product line and very flexible and accommodating in terms of widths, offsets, and diameters,” Bovis says. “When we started looking at the larger wheels — like the 18- to 20-inch RT-S — there was an opportunity to offer something specifically for the classic Pro Touring and Late Model markets that was a better match for the vehicle in terms of styling,” Bovis says.

A few years ago MSD rolled out its original Atomic EFI system for LS enthusiasts at SEMA, changing the way many of us viewed and used fuel injection on our LS engine swaps. At the 2015 SEMA Show, MSD is at it again, this time with its new Atomic Stage 1 EFI for LS engines.

There are a handful of primary hurdles to overcome when installing an aftermarket EFI system. The first is the wiring harness. Adding sensors, splicing wires, assembling connectors, and routing a harness can all seem like a daunting task. The second hurdle is tuning. Having not only a compatible laptop, but the skill and knowledge to get the car started creates another major hurdle for many enthusiasts. Lastly is the cost. With a price tag that is often much higher than a good carburetor and intake manifold, or a repurposed OEM harness, an aftermarket EFI can appear to be an expensive alternative.

The Atomic Stage 1 is designed to change all of this. “This is a standalone that will perform on any LS engine with a wiring harness, and is non-PC programmable. It will do the same as the atomic series. It is designed for the novice, and will get any LS engine running for under $1,000,” says MSD’s Joe Pando.

There is an optional drive-by-wire harness for $85 as a plug-in harness upgrade. Pando says this system will work with any engine in the LS family. Designed for the DIY enthusiast the Atomic Stage 1 will also support boosted applications.

The system is non-PC programmable and works via a handheld programmer similar to other versions of Atomic EFI. It is not without some limitations, however. “Because it is self-tuning, it does have some cam-based limitations. Camshafts larger than 240 duration at .050 are going to be limited because the MAP sensor can’t tune the system when it sees erratic pulses caused by this type of camshaft,” Pando says.

Billet Throttle Body

MSD also displayed fits for the 93 mm throttle body for LS applications. This all billet-constructed throttle body is cable actuated instead of drive-by wire. “This throttle body is unique since it’s modeled after the OEM design,” Pando says. “It has a parabolic shape at the inlet that meters the airflow correctly on a street car, and gives better drivability, so that when you crack the throttle open you don’t get too much air all at once.”

The Billet 93 mm throttle body utilizes the OEM IAC and TPS sensors, and fits just about any LS specific intake manifold on the market.

LT1 Intake

The aftermarket has been quick to latch onto GM’s new LT1 engine, recognizing it as the future of GM-based performance. At SEMA, GM was showing off its new Atomic intake for the LT1 engine. “This design is based on what we learned for the LS1, LS2, LS6, and LS7 engines. This intake on a stock 2015 Corvette picks up 17 hp on the dyno,” Pando says. Like the LS-designed intakes, this one is also constructed of lightweight composite materials and features the MSD Atomic logos prominently.

The LT1 introduced direct injection (DI) to the GM V8 family for the first time. DI has been the major hurdle in making additional power once the fuel system reaches its limits. This new intake can help resolve that issue since, as Pando points out, it has ports for additional injectors to make more power. “If you have an ECU that will control additional injectors you can add more fuel to make more power,” Pando says.

Getting more fuel in to the LT1 is key when making big power with these engines. With more airflow potential from the new atomic intake, and the provisions for adding additional injectors, MSD is making the option to gain increased power that much easier.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2015-msds-atomic-stage-1-efi-throttle-body-and-lt1-intake/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2015/11/2015-11-09_20-00-57-400x267.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2015/11/2015-11-12_14-28-17-300x200.jpgContest Alert: You Could Get Your Car On The Jegs Catalog Coverhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/contest-alert-you-could-get-your-car-on-the-jegs-catalog-cover/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=contest-alert-you-could-get-your-car-on-the-jegs-catalog-cover
http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/contest-alert-you-could-get-your-car-on-the-jegs-catalog-cover/#commentsMon, 06 Jul 2015 22:13:35 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/contest-alert-you-could-get-your-car-on-the-jegs-catalog-cover/It’s the goal of many enthusiasts to get their car featured in a publication such as the one you’re currently reading, or of the paper variety. Getting your car shown on the cover of a newsletter, the front page of your favorite enthusiast web-site or the glossy cover of a magazine is icing on the cake.

Most of you reading this are familiar with our friends over at Jegs.com, the online superstore for just about anything performance related. Whether you’re going fast in a straight line, around cones or the road course, or just looking for upgrades for your street car or truck, Jegs probably has what you want.

Aside from its online presence the Jegs catalog has been a mainstay on the magazine rack, coffee table, and in the offices of most of us for years if not decades. We can remember well before the age of electronic media grabbing that catalog in our teenage hands -finger tips blackened by newsprint, circling parts, dog-earing pages, and planning our next big build. All while figuring out how long we’d have to work at $4/hour washing cars, mowing lawns, or flipping burgers to get those parts.

Did you ever wonder about the cars on the cover of the Jegs catalog? Sure there’s the cool Jegs drag cars that are often prominently featured there. However, there are plenty of cool hot rods and muscle cars that also make the cover every year. Now it could be your turn to get your car featured on the cover.

Imagine opening the mailbox, only to find your car looking back at you from the glossy cover of the Jegs catalog-that is an irreplaceable feeling. Your car buddies probably all get the Jegs catalog too, so chances are no sooner than you find a copy with your car on the cover, your phone and social media are going to blow up with everyone talking about how you made the cover.

At this point you’re asking your screen “what do I need to do to get on the cover of the Jegs catalog?” Simple. Head over to the Jegs Facebook contest page. Fill out the form with all the appropriate info of your car, and then submit that info along with a hot image of your car. This is a social media contest, where other users will vote to choose the winning car, so don’t just snap a pic the driveway, get out there and be creative, make your car stand out, and tell your buddies to enter and vote for you too. You never know, you could open the mailbox in a couple of months and find your headlights staring back at you.

Wheels are one of the most popular modifications that enthusiasts change on their cars. Sometimes wheels are just for appearance, often called a lifestyle wheel. Then there’s enthusiasts looking for a performance advantage. Typically factory wheels are made from cast materials, and they’re often heavy. While stock wheels offer adequate strength for daily driving they’re no match for a billet wheel on the track, or in style.

Forgeline has decades of wheel experience and technology behind its wheel designs and manufacturing. These made in the USA wheels are not only incredibly strong and lightweight, they’re also good looking. Forgeline uses the latest CNC equipment, combined with high quality materials, and their design and manufacturing processes, to deliver this product. Daily drivers, weekend racers, and race teams all rely on Forgeline wheels.

One issue that can often have discerning enthusiasts on the fence about wheel selection is knowing what the wheels will look like once installed on the car. There’s no better way to help you decide what style wheel will look best on your car than seeing those wheels on a similar model. Fortunately Forgeline has a huge customer gallery to browse.

The gallery contains dozens, if not hundreds of cars. There’s everything from late model cars like Mustangs, Camaros, and C7 Corvettes, to classic restomods, imports, trucks, and more.

Included with each set of photos is also information on the car, and the wheels, allowing anyone doing some browsing to find out what wheels they’re looking at, and how they might look on their own car.

Whether you’re car sees regular track or autocross duty, or its just your weekend toy or daily driver, Forgeline’s customer gallery will help you decide which wheels will look best on your car.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/forgelines-customer-gallery-is-a-great-tool-for-wheel-selection/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2015/05/forgeline-de3c-400x267.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2015/05/forgeline-de3c-300x200.jpgPRI 2014: Fel-Pro’s Gasket Expertise, and Real World Testing Methodshttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2014-fel-pros-gasket-expertise-and-real-world-testing-methods/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pri-2014-fel-pros-gasket-expertise-and-real-world-testing-methods
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2014-fel-pros-gasket-expertise-and-real-world-testing-methods/#commentsThu, 18 Dec 2014 17:50:13 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2014-fel-pros-gasket-expertise-and-real-world-testing-methods/For several years the OEM’s have been using multi-layered steel head gaskets (MLS). Fel-Pro, a division of Federal Mogul, has been producing MLS head gaskets for stock and high performance head gasket replacement for a number of years.

The high performance line utilizes a four layer MLS gasket, we talked to Federal Mogul’s Nick Nelson, about the applications for GM LS engines. The LS engine gaskets are available in wide range of bore sizes ranging from 3.845 all the way up to 4.270-inches. This allows Fel-Pro to provide a head gasket for virtually any popular LS bore size.

“We use an MLS head gasket, not only because it’s the OEM technology, but also because it offers the best head gasket sealing available,” says Nelson. “When you have an MLS head gasket, you have embossed, hardened steel layers that act as a spring. As the head lifts microscopic amounts, that steel offers some additional contact stress. The stopper also bends the head a small amount so it doesn’t lift as much.”

While we traditionally only think of cylinder heads lifting under extremely high stress, like high boost, Nelson says the heads actually move microscopic amounts on each combustion combustion stroke. The MLS head gasket helps the engine maintain that seal.

Fel-Pro also offeres a full line of silicone, molded rubber gaskets for the LS engines. The high temperature silicone is better suited to withstand the high temperatures of modified engines.

Fel-Pro was also showing off their new Ford modular big bore cylinder head gasket. This was designed for the 4.6 or 5.4 engine, 3.73 bore, and good for three-valve and four-valve applications, as well as some two-valve.

Fel-Pro, also makes gaskets for almost every engine out there on the market, including Subaru, and other high performance engines. This includes MLS head gaskets, and molded rubber gaskets.

Fel-Pro Field Test Garage

John Guring

Federal Mogul, the parent company of Fel-Pro, also has an interesting way to test their new products. They use what is called the Fel-Pro Field Test Garage. “The aftermarket engineering team will come up with a product they want to field test. I will find a vehicle, approach a Federal Mogul employee about using their vehicle for the test, and bring that vehicle in,” says Federal Mogul’s John Guring.

Vehicles that come into the field test garage have the test product, plus associated other necessary pieces, replaced. So for example, a head gasket, would also involve a new valve cover gasket, intake manifold gasket, exhaust manifold gasket, etc.

The aftermarket engineering team will come up with a product they want to field test. I will find a vehicle, approach a Federal Mogul employee about using their vehicle for the test, and bring that vehicle in. -John Guring, Federal Mogul

Guring says that everything is inspected and cleaned just like if it were being repaired in a typical automotive shop. The vehicles are then monitored, returning two weeks after repairs for initial inspection, and then every six weeks for inspection. While the car is under Fel-Pro’s test criteria, oil changes and inspections are provided by the company at no cost to the employee, parts that are needed for repairs are the responsibility of the car owner. Safety inspections of tires, breaks, lights, etc, are also part of the process. “We tell the employees to drive the car like they normally would, and we want them to keep putting miles on it.”

The program has been in place for well over three decades at Federal Mogul. “What I love to do is work on cars, and this is a great job for me, I’ve been doing it for 27 years,” says Guring.

Guring says this is a way for Fel-Pro to find out what the average installer should need to complete a job. “Sometimes we find that there might be an extra o-ring, or seal, or something we didn’t think of, that needs to be replaced, so we make those recommendations in how the parts should be sold.”

The test garage is just one of many engineering and quality check tools that Federal Mogul has, and a cool program that many of their employees participate in each year.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2014-fel-pros-gasket-expertise-and-real-world-testing-methods/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/12/federal-mogul-pri-113-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/12/pri-2014-fel-pros-gasket-expertise-and-real-world-testing-methods-300x200.jpgPRI 2014: Deatschwerks Introduces DV2 Injectors and DW400 Pumphttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2014-deatschwerks-introduces-dv2-injectors-and-dw400-pump/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pri-2014-deatschwerks-introduces-dv2-injectors-and-dw400-pump
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2014-deatschwerks-introduces-dv2-injectors-and-dw400-pump/#commentsThu, 18 Dec 2014 17:35:55 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2014-deatschwerks-introduces-dv2-injectors-and-dw400-pump/We spent some time with Deatschwerks during the 2014 PRI show about their 1,500 cc DV2 fuel injectors. According to DW’s David Deatsch, “These are the highest flowing, high impedance injectors, that work with everything.” Working with everything means that these injectors will work with gasoline, methanol, or ethanol.

The DV2 standard from Deatschwerks is based on Bosch’s EV14 technology, but not all EV14 injectors will meet these criteria, it is reserved for injectors over 1,000cc, and there are other critical criteria. The DV2 injectors are held to the highest standards for data, tuning, flow balancing, response time, and more. These injectors use low mass pintles, and high energy coils, to deliver incredibly fast response times. The result is a high performance injector that, in the hands of a skilled tuner, can yield stock like drivability, and reliable performance when you put your foot down on the throttle.

“Basically the DV2 standard is the best of what Deastchwerks has to offer,” says Deatsch. For full details and the complete breakdown on DV2, and what it means to enthusiasts and tuners, Deatschwerks has set up a white paper explaining precisely what the DV2 standard is. If you’re into knowing about the latest in engine and fuel system technology, like being an educated consumer, or are a tuner, the DV2 white paper is worth reading.

DW400

Deatschwerks was also showing off the DW400 fuel pump at PRI. According to Deatsch, this pump is set to take the title of the largest, high flowing in-tank pump on the market. “This pump will have all the applications and fitment kits available that our other pumps have.” The pump also has a carbon commutator making it compatible with E85 fuels.

The DW400 is able to maintain flow at high pressures. It is at higher pressures where maintaining flow is critical, especially in forced induction applications where fuel systems are often set up to increase pressure and deliver greater fuel volume as boost pressure rises. Deatsch says that part of the DW400’s ability to flow is because of the design of their pressure release valve. Typically this is designed at a lower pressure, to prevent damage to the pump and the fuel system during a crash, or if a line becomes kinked, often referred to as a “dead-head” situation, Deatsch says this is, in many cases this pressure is around 75 psi.

The DW400 pump PRV i set much higher, so that users running high boost can continue to crank up the fuel pressure to get the performance they’re looking for. “Once the PRV opens, flow drops off. We’re targeting 150psi, so that enthusiasts can run 120-140 PSI if they need to, with no problems.”

DW designed a new filter for the DW400 pump, so that it will fit properly, and be properly capable of flowing the right amount of fuel. They’re finalizing the fine details and preparing to release the pump early in 2015, with a target by the end of third quarter.

With a continual flow of new products, and a constant eye on improvement, as well as the latest in fuel injection technology, Deatschwerks will continue to be a major player in fuel system solutions.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2014-deatschwerks-introduces-dv2-injectors-and-dw400-pump/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/12/deastch-111-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/12/deastch-thumb-pri-300x200.jpgPRI 2014: Accel Performance Coils For Domestic And Import Vehicleshttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2014-accel-performancs-coils-for-domestic-and-import-vehicles/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pri-2014-accel-performancs-coils-for-domestic-and-import-vehicles
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2014-accel-performancs-coils-for-domestic-and-import-vehicles/#commentsWed, 17 Dec 2014 14:50:48 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2014-accel-performancs-coils-for-domestic-and-import-vehicles/Accel has been manufacturing coils for years. They’re coils are a popular replacement for a performance upgrade, or even as an OE level replacement, should you need to replace a faulty stock unit. As coil on plug ignition systems have become the norm, Accel has continued to roll out more coil applications for OEM vehicles.

At this year’s PRI show, Accel was showing off their domestic, and their latest line of import market ignition coil products. “We’ve had all of the domestic coils for some time now. We’ve decided we want to own the coil business. One of the first big steps was to get into the import business,” said Accel’s Aaron Allison.

The coils feature an advanced bobbin technology, with highly specialized magnetic steel cores. The windings are optimized, as are the turn ratios. The result is 15-percent more energy than the stock OEM coils.

“These are a great replacement for a stock coil, wether your stock part is failing, or you just want an upgrade. It’s also a great performance upgrade especially if you’ve done some work to the car that will allow you to take advantage of the new coils.”

Each coil feature OE style connectors and boots for a direct fit. There are no special adapters or harnesses available. Access also utilizes tighter tolerances on the silicone coil boots which means the boots seal better, and there’s no voltage tracking.

Accel already has a huge selection of coils for domestic and import applications with more coming by the end of the year. Be sure to check out their web-site for a complete listing of their offerings.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2014-accel-performancs-coils-for-domestic-and-import-vehicles/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/12/accel-pri-114-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/12/pri-2014-accel-performancs-coils-for-domestic-and-import-vehicles2-300x200.jpgSEMA 2014: Deatschwerks Continues Developing Fuel System Solutionshttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2014-deatschwerks-continues-developing-fuel-system-solutions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sema-2014-deatschwerks-continues-developing-fuel-system-solutions
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2014-deatschwerks-continues-developing-fuel-system-solutions/#commentsThu, 13 Nov 2014 17:39:59 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2014-deatschwerks-continues-developing-fuel-system-solutions/There is an old cliche that says necessity is the mother of invention. Such was the case years ago when David Deatsch was trying to find a set of injectors for his Nissan 240sx project car. Not satisfied with what was available for the car he set about to develop his own product. As often happens in the performance industry, this ingenuity spawned the birth of a new fuel solutions business, Deatschwerks.

Deatschwerks was born out of enthusiasts needing to find their own solution. -Mike Deatsch

“Deatschwerks was born out of enthusiasts needing to find their own solution,” says company co-founder and David Deatsch’s brother, Mike Deatsch. Today Deatschwerks offers more than just fuel injectors. The company has grown and evolved into a full service fuel solutions provider.

“In the beginning we sold one injector, for one car, in one size. Today, we offer over 400 SKUs for just about every popular performance make and model out there. That consists of both fuel pumps and fuel injectors.”

The company spent its first few years focused on import products, and then after several years branched into the domestic muscle car and performance markets. “In 2010 we were Deatschwerks Fuel Injectors, that year we started offering fuel pumps, and became Deatschwerks Fuel Solutions,” says Mike Deatsch. “We find holes in the market where needs aren’t being met, and we fill that hole.”

When it was released in 2010, the DW300 was the highest flowing in-tank fuel pump available on the market. At the 2014 SEMA show, Deatschwerks was showing off their all new DW400 pump, which Mike Deatsch says he feels very confident will win the company back its title for the largest in-tank pump in the aftermarket.

Deatschwerks’ goal today is to not focus on a single market segment, but instead focus on providing fueling solutions throughout the aftermarket according to Mike Deatsch. “From our DW65V fuel pump that solved a missing solution for a pump for the 1.8t Audi and VW market, to the 2,200cc injectors for the high output modern muscle crowd, we’re offering more solutions for our customers than ever before.”

“What we’re evolving more towards every year is being a full fuel solutions company that doesn’t just serve one market, we service everybody.” Deatschwerks continues to add more products to their offerings on a regular basis. This includes the addition of in-line pumps, in-tank pumps, in-line fuel filters, and the recent addition of fuel rails.

With OEMs changing their products every few years, and performance enthusiasts demanding solutions with little to no compromises in fit and performance, the future looks very bright for Deatschwerks.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2014-deatschwerks-continues-developing-fuel-system-solutions/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/11/deatschwerks-101-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/11/sema-2014-deatschwerks-continues-developing-fuel-system-solutions-300x200.jpgSEMA 2014: Ron Francis BlackBox Revolutionizes Project Car Wiringhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2014-ron-francis-blackbox-revolutionizes-project-car-wiring/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sema-2014-ron-francis-blackbox-revolutionizes-project-car-wiring
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2014-ron-francis-blackbox-revolutionizes-project-car-wiring/#commentsThu, 06 Nov 2014 02:04:59 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2014-ron-francis-blackbox-revolutionizes-project-car-wiring/Wiring a project car can be an extensive and daunting project. Not only that, but it can be difficult to get various circuits to perform the way you want them to, or monitor what they’re doing.

At this year’s SEMA show, Ron Francis Wiring introduced their latest wiring innovation, the BlackBox relay system. This isn’t just another relay block, it’s a revolutionary innovation that can make wiring a new project, or adding to an existing one extremely simple. SEMA thought that it was such a breakthrough that the product even received a SEMA award this year’s show.

The BlackBox features 10 individually relayed 20 amp circuits. Each relay can be positive or ground triggered. The relays can handle virtually any type of function that you would normally have a relay control. Additionally the relays can be paired or ganged to allow increased power handling capability for devices that require higher current like electric fans, etc. These relays can even be used in reverse polarity to operate devices like power windows.

Programming functions for each relay are handled by individual buttons for each circuit and master control buttons. RFW’s Scott Bowers demonstrated the system for us in the company’s booth at the show. “This was an idea that we’ve had for quite some time, and were finally able to bring it together. It greatly simplifies the wiring, and adds an incredible amount of functionality in a single package.” Bowers demonstrated how in a few seconds a circuit could be programmed, or paired, and ready for operation.

While all of this is cool, there’s an additional bonus feature that the BlackBox has coming in just a few months. Imagine being able to control any relayed circuit from your phone or other Bluetooth enabled device. The BlackBox will have compatibility to do just that, “The development guys really came through and delivered an incredible Bluetooth will be available for IOS and Android devices.

We can think of countless applications for the BlackBox both in new wiring situations or when adding to an existing system. We’re looking forward to seeing it put to use on many project builds in the future.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2014-ron-francis-blackbox-revolutionizes-project-car-wiring/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/11/rfw-108-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/11/rfw-108-300x200.jpgFaster, Lighter, Stronger How Forgeline’s Monoblock Wheels Are Builthttp://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/wheels-tires/faster-lighter-stronger-forgelines-monoblock-wheels-built/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=faster-lighter-stronger-forgelines-monoblock-wheels-built
http://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/wheels-tires/faster-lighter-stronger-forgelines-monoblock-wheels-built/#commentsWed, 24 Sep 2014 13:32:30 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/?p=238610The racing world breeds innovations and advancements that eventually make their way to the performance aftermarket and the street. These high performance advancements translate into better performance for street and occasional track enthusiasts. The resulting parts are often more durable than those born simply for street use. Nowhere is the merging of racing and street technology more prevalent than at Forgeline.

With decades of experience building racing wheels, Forgeline brings the same wheel technology to the street that they use in their proven race winning wheels. Choose virtually any racing series that turns corners around the world and chances are you’ll find Forgeline wheels on more than one car in competition. “We build wheels for competition use and take that same technology and engineering to our products for street cars. We offer our street going customers a wheel that is engineered for good looks, street performance, and occasional track days on street tires,” says Forgeline’s Dave Schardt.

Forgeline’s Monoblock wheels offer superior strength and lighter weight along with incredible styling and custom fitment for the ultimate in wheel technology.

Made famous by their three-piece wheel designs Forgeline has seen growing interest in one-piece designs over the past decade. “We’ve watched the racing and aftermarket make a shift into the one-piece design” says Schardt. We recently paid a visit to Forgeline’s manufacturing facility in Dayton, Ohio to learn more about their one-piece forged Monoblock wheels and get a first hand look at the manufacturing process.

What Is Monoblock

Each Monoblock wheel begins life as a T6-6061 billet aluminum wheel forging like these.

Forgeline has been traditionally known for their three-piece wheels. We took a look at these wheels a while back and even run them on a few of our own project cars. Essentially the three-piece designs consist of a wheel hoop, a center that is CNC machined, and an outer section. Forgeline sources the outer rim shells as well as their raw forgings from California. Then they CNC centers from USA sourced forged aerospace aluminum at their Dayton, OH facility. The wheels are finished and constructed on-site in Dayton and even packed for shipping at the same facility. The end result are high performance wheels that function as good as they look. Racers have relied on Forgeline for decades and the company’s wheels have been on multiple championship winning cars. They’re also found on numerous street going cars ranging from the more common vehicles like our Project Silver Bullet 2013 Mustang GT, to exotics like Porsche and Lamborghini.

Left Column: Forgeline one-piece forged Monoblock wheels. Right Column: The same face design but in a three-piece wheel. Notice the extension of the wheel spokes all the way to the edge on the one piece vs the three piece.

If you look at the same design in a three-piece and a one-piece design they’re the same fatigue strength. It’s when you get into those cornering loads that you notice the difference. -Dave Schardt, Forgeline

The one-piece forged Monoblock wheels represent the next evolution in wheel technology with their one-piece design. Schardt says that their Monoblock wheel was born out of demand from their professional racing clientele about seven years ago. Those racers were looking for a wheel that was even better than what the company already produced in their three-piece designs. “We saw that the wheel market was going in that direction in the racing world and so we were able to transition those products for racing applications to our street customers as well. Whatever’s happening in the racing world usually tends to transition out to the street.”

Schardt says the key advantage offered by the Monoblock is its stiffness. These wheels offer improved stiffness over their three-piece counterparts resulting in better driver feedback and less deflection under rigorous racing conditions. “If you look at the same design in a three-piece and a one-piece design they’re the same fatigue strength. It’s when you get into those cornering loads that you notice the difference. With the one-piece wheel there’s not as much deflection because the wheel is stiffer and there’s better feedback through the wheel.” Schardt says that most casual enthusiasts and weekend warriors aren’t likely to notice this difference. “A guy with a street car or someone running through the auto cross is probably not going to notice a difference, but a guy with a Daytona prototype or another type or race car that’s running laps around a track is going to see that difference in lap times,” he continued.

Every Forgeline design, Monoblock or three-piece, begins life in CAD software before being taken through numerous engineering analysis. The company takes these steps to ensure every wheel they build can handle the demands put on them.

The Monoblock wheel is typically lighter than its three-piece counterpart since there are fewer parts. Schardt says the difference in weight of the same wheel design between and Monoblock and a three piece is anywhere between one to three pounds. “Is that going to make a difference to someone on the street? Probably not. But to someone who is professionally racing that’s a huge amount of weight. However, the difference in weight between a forged Monoblock wheel and a typical OEM cast wheel is 5-10 lbs and anybody can certainly feel that difference.”

According to Schardt the one-piece Monoblock wheel represents the ultimate in wheel technology. Whether a customer is racing their car, or just driving it on the street the one-piece is lighter, stiffer, and deflects less than the three-piece wheel. It also offers a different look

More Than A Pretty Face

Made In The USA

Forgeline sources everything they use for their wheels from the USA. With the exception of the valve stems, which come from a German company, all of their wheel components come from USA suppliers. From the billet forgings to the final assembly this makes Forgeline wheels a truly American made product. That made in America pride shows in every employee’s attitude and every product that leaves the facility.

The Schardt family began building wheels nearly 50 years ago and as a result they have decades of engineering experience to draw upon when designing a wheel. With a stellar reputation in the wheel industry Forgeline doesn’t produce just any wheel design. “Our designs have to meet a variety of engineering analysis including FEA and rotary analysis before we will begin producing, testing, and selling a wheel,” says Schardt. If a wheel design can’t hack it on for enthusiasts who occasionally take their cars to the race track or auto cross on street tires then you won’t find it in the Forgeline catalog or being shipped from the company’s warehouse. “We know that even if we built a wheel that had ‘not for track use’ stamped into it that someone, somewhere would put it on a car and take it to the track. It takes only one accident from a wheel failure to ruin your reputation and we refuse to make those kinds of compromises.”

One example of the engineering and testing of each design that Schardt discussed with us is what is called a rotary test. This test is used to simulate wheel conditions and loads with a tire mounted on the wheel. “The problem with the rotary test is that it uses a co-efficient of friction for the tire of 0.7. That number is the industry standard and it hasn’t changed in 30 years.” What Schardt is talking about is that much like wheel technology, tire technology has improved. Race and even street tires are vastly different than they were three decades ago. Given their experience with racing teams and event Schardt’s own experience wheeling Porsches on the track he says that the number Forgeline uses to represent the coefficient of friction for their rotary test is “much higher.”

Left: A wheel forging is loaded into a CNC lathe to begin the machining process. Center Left: The CNC lathe begins the cutting the wheel profile. Center Right: A wheel profile during machining. Right: This wheel is now considered a lathe profile and is ready to head to the CNC mill.

These high engineering standards create a few challenges when creating a new wheel design. “For our street car customers we want them to be able to drive to the track, enjoy their car, and drive home without the need to change wheels, or own multiple sets of wheels for the street or track,” says Schardt.

The result of these stringent engineering guidelines and principles are products that truly follow the old cliche “race on Sunday, sell on Monday.” Nearly everything in the Forgeline catalog can be had for a racing or street application resulting in parts that perform as good as they look. The downside to this as Schardt says is that they are often approached by enthusiasts asking why can’t you make a wheel that looks like this one from XYZ company? “Our response to that question is that it’s not that we can’t make that wheel, it’s simply that the design doesn’t meet our engineering criteria so we won’t make it,” says Schardt.

The CNC mill cuts the face of the wheel as well as the bolt pattern for the lugs and the seat for the tire valve. These four pictures illustrate the wheel as the mill works on it.

Making One-Piece Wheels

Forgeline’s one-piece forged Monoblock wheels begin life as a solid chunk of 6061-T6 billet aluminum. Each forgings tips the scales at a whopping 100-110 pounds depending on its diameter and depth. Forgeline stores these forgings in their warehouse in various sizes ready to go through the CNC process at any time. By the time the process of turning a wheel forging into a finished wheel is complete they will have shaved more than 80-percent of that weight away for a wheel that weighs 19-20 pounds. “The smallest Monoblock we offer is an 18×9, it weighs just 19 pounds, and we can make a 19×12-inch Monoblock that weights 20 pounds,” says Schardt.

Left: In the polishing room each wheel is carefully inspected. All tooling marks, burs, and anything not aesthetically pleasing is removed. Center Left Through Right: From the polishing room the wheels go through a cleaning and coating process. The cleaning will remove any dirt or oils stuck to the wheel surface. The nano-technology coating that is applied in the final steps protects the wheels from corrosive elements. This coating also helps with adhesion of of the powder coating media.

For our street car customers we want them to be able to drive to the track, enjoy their car, and drive home without the need to change wheels, or own multiple sets of wheels for the street or track.

Each Monoblock wheel must pass through a series of CNC machines, with each machine performing a different part of the manufacturing process.

The raw forging is placed into a CNC lathe first to have the back profile cut out of the wheel. From here the forging is then loaded into a different CNC lathe to have the front profile machined away. This is where the majority of the mass is removed from the forging. From this step the wheels are considered a lathe profile. This process cuts the front and back of the wheel, the bead seat, hoop area, and cap profile creating the wheel barrel.

The next step in the process is the CNC mill where the face design takes shape. In this step a CNC mill cuts the spokes, the design for the face of the wheel, and drills the bolt pattern. This step also mills the pad area of the wheel where it will make contact with the hub for mounting, setting the backspacing.

Left and Center Left:: A powder coat technician applies the proper amount of media to each wheel to get a high quality, durable finish. Center Right: Each wheel is hand cleaned and polished prior to packaging and shipping. Right: After cleaning the tire valve is installed and the wheel inspected one last time.

Looking The Part

When the wheel comes out of the mill it looks like something that’s ready to be shipped. That’s not the case at Forgeline, there are still multiple steps that each wheel will go through. This includes a strict inspection process before it can be boxed up and shipped to the customer.

From the mill the wheels are sent to the polishing room. “The wheels will head over to the polishing room to have all the burs removed, and be inspected for inconsistencies in the milling process, marks from a tool path, etc.” All of this is done by hand with each technician spending time at a work station vigilantly inspecting and carefully grinding areas of the wheel to get the finished product perfect.

Transparent red is just one of many color options Forgeline offers on their wheels. Schardt says this one has become surprisingly popular as of late.

Wheels that will be powder coated will get an abrasive blasting to help promote adhesion of the powder coat media. From the polishing area the wheels are sent to be cleaned. This multi-step process involves placing the wheels in separate vats for each step. The process strips away oils, finger prints, or any foreign material that might have been left on a wheel during the machining and polishing steps. The final step also applies a nano-technology based anti-corrosive coating to the entire wheel. These steps help promote adhesion of the finishing product and give the wheel resistance to corrosive elements.

In the powder coating area a technician will carefully apply the necessary colored media to the wheel. In the case of Monoblock wheels the entire wheel is coated the same color.

The Schardt’s believe in using what they manufacture. We were really digging these RB1 Monoblocks on the company C7 Vette.

Once the powder coat has been cured in a temperature controlled booth, the wheels are sent to the next station for final cleaning and inspection steps. Here the valve stem seats are machined to remove powder coating material, and the wheels are given a final visual inspection. They are then polished and either packaged for shipping, or sent to the tire department to have tires mounted before being sent out to customers.

The total machining time takes about four hours per wheel. With typical order levels Schardt says most customers have their wheels shipped about two weeks after placing an order. This can take longer if there’s a high volume of orders in line.

Renowned Mustang chassis and suspension guru Kenny Brown runs Forgeline Monoblock wheels on his customer cars, his personal track day car 'Ruby', as well as the professional racing cars he's a part of.

Designs

Forgeline customer Glen Hunter made it to SEMA last year with his GT500 wearing Forgeline CF1 Monoblock wheels.

Many of Forgeline’s Monoblock designs originated as three-piece designs. Engineering analysis proved that these designs would work well as a one-piece wheel also and so they were offered. Forgeline is also working to offer unique designs as exclusively Monoblock these weren’t a three piece design and probably never will be. One-piece Monoblock designs are also available with any of Forgeline’s powder coat finishes.

Forgeline offers their one-piece forged Monoblock wheels in sizes ranging from 18×9-inch all the way to the 21 inch diameters and widths up to 13-inches. Whether you’re looking for a set of wheels for a dedicated track car or just trying to set your car apart from the crowd Forgeline can offer a solution for you with race proven technology and engineering behind every product.

The long distance road trip in your favorite muscle, classic, or hot rod should be on the bucket list of every enthusiast. Planning out such a trip isn’t always easy, and figuring out how many miles per day, a good starting and finishing point, as well as other details can be daunting. If you’ve ever wanted to take a great long distance trip in your favorite car, Goodguys has a way to do it, but you only have until Friday to get registered.

Goodguys is getting set for their Hall of Fame Road Tour presented by Meguiar’s and Barrett-Jackson. This trip is an eight day adventure kicking off at Goodguys headquarters in Pleasonton, California and finishing at the Goodguys Lonestar Nationals at Texas Motor Speedway. Eight days, 2,400 miles, and fifty hot cars, what more could any red blooded gear head want?

The cost for the tour is all inclusive and includes eight nights in premium hotels, the cost of all tours, some meals, as well as plenty of SWAG, a roadside support trailer, and entrance to the Lone Star Nationals. This is truly a turn key event for participants, the only thing you have to plan is how to get to the kickoff, and get home after the Lonestar Nationals. The tour is open to 1972 and older vehicles, and limited to just 50 cars.
The Tour is in memory of Jack Trepanier, general manager of the legendary Rad Rides By Troy, and father of custom car and hot rodding icon Troy Trepanier. Jack passed away earlier in the year and Goodguys is honoring his life and memory with this amazing Road Tour.

For more information and to register call or email Jamie at Goodguys. There are only a few spots left, and Friday September 12 is the cut off for registration, so you better call now. This is the chance you’ve been waiting for to take an awesome long distance trip in your car, make some awesome memories, and new friends.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/goodguys-hall-of-fame-road-tour-registration-is-wrapping-up/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/09/goodguys-hall-fame-road-tour-registration-wrapping-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/09/goodguys-hall-fame-road-tour-registration-wrapping-300x199.jpgAutomedia Gives Tips For Learning To Drifthttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/automedia-gives-tips-learning-drift/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=automedia-gives-tips-learning-drift
http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/automedia-gives-tips-learning-drift/#commentsFri, 05 Sep 2014 13:45:26 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/?p=252388Drifting has become an overwhelmingly popular form of motorsport in recent years. While some enthusiasts still don’t understand the appeal, others are drawn to these displays precision driving at the edge of control. For those who don’t understand it, drifting involves as much precision driving skill and car control as other forms of auto racing. This is much more than just breaking the tires loose, and while many of us have experienced power-on oversteer, or even understeer, few have actually experienced drifting.

In an article written by Mac Demere over at Automedia, the author delves into how to learn to drift. While the unexperienced may dismiss this as simply being able to hang the tail out in a corner, Demere explains there’s much more going on here than that. Drifting is a balance of controlling and predicting what the car’s back end will do, and maintaing focus on direction and speed. Demere offers plenty of of advice, including tips for getting started, like trying out your skills on slick-track go-karts. This offers a safe and legal means for determining whether you either have a natural talent for sliding a four wheeled vehicle with any level of precision or if you can learn that skill at all.

The article explains how to take steps going from slick track karts, to regular karts, and eventually graduating to drifting a vehicle. Learning to drift is not for the faint of heart or the light of wallet. Demere explains that would-be drifters should expect to spend several hundred dollars on multiple sessions in karts before even beginning to practice in a real vehicle. Once graduated to tarmac and steel, be prepared to spend hundreds if not thousands on practice tires, vehicle repairs, and probably fines from the local police for being reckless if you’re not practicing on a track. Demere also advises you can read and watch all the videos you want, but time behind the wheel is the only way to actually learn the technique.

For the full list of drifting tips and more of Demere’s advice on learning to drift, check out the full article at Automedia.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/automedia-gives-tips-learning-drift/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/09/ls454-1-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/09/ls454-1-300x200.jpgEnter To Win VIP Treatment At Street Machine Nationals From Comphttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/enter-to-win-vip-treatment-at-street-machine-nationals-from-comp/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=enter-to-win-vip-treatment-at-street-machine-nationals-from-comp
http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/enter-to-win-vip-treatment-at-street-machine-nationals-from-comp/#commentsMon, 16 Jun 2014 20:18:49 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/?p=213181Every June thousands of muscle car and performance fans head to southern Illinois or to St Paul, MN in June and July for the Car Craft Street Machine Nationals. This three day festival of performance cars and horsepower is sponsored heavily by Comp Performance Group. This year Comp wants to send someone to be their VIP for either of the events which will be held June 27-29 in Du Quoin, IL and July 18-20 in St Paul, MN.

The VIP package includes:

VIP Parking At the CPG Display Rig

Free Refreshments

VIP Promo Pack

Games and Activities

Product Samples

Entering this contest is easy, simply take a cool photo of your ride that features any of the CPG brands performance parts, and submit it at the official web-site. So get your camera out and get creative. While Comp hasn’t made it mandatory, usually the more interesting photos will get the most attention.

In case you weren’t aware the Comp Performance Group includes a wide range of performance companies:

So whether your car is fully built, or just has a single part on it from one of these companies, you are eligible to enter. At the Street Machine Nationals you can take in all manner of vendors, amazing cars, incredible street machine challenges, and more.

With the first of the two shows coming up in just a few weeks now is the time to shine up your ride and get your camera out so that you don’t miss your chance to enter and spend the weekend as a VIP at the Street Machine Nationals with Comp Performance Group. You can submit your entries and find out more at the official site for the contest.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/enter-to-win-vip-treatment-at-street-machine-nationals-from-comp/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/06/2014-SMN-Thumb-400x266.jpeghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/06/2014-SMN-Thumb-300x199.jpegGet A Free Optima Digital 400 With The Purchase Of A Batteryhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/get-a-free-optima-digital-400-with-the-purchase-of-a-battery/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=get-a-free-optima-digital-400-with-the-purchase-of-a-battery
http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/get-a-free-optima-digital-400-with-the-purchase-of-a-battery/#commentsWed, 02 Apr 2014 19:36:50 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/get-a-free-optima-digital-400-with-the-purchase-of-a-battery/After a long winter in hibernation many of us are finding that our project vehicles are in need of a few things to get them ready for the road this spring, and in time for summer. If one of those things is a battery then April is the perfect time to buy a new Optima battery.

Optima’s batteries offer legendary starting power, and great deep discharge capability. The Digital 1200 and Digital 400 charger and maintainer are also capable of recovering an Optima or other battery from a state of charge that might cause many owners to normally discard that same battery, this potentially saves owners hundreds of dollars over the life of a vehicle.

Vehicles that aren’t driven often, will see their battery slowly lose charge. The longer the car sits, the more the battery is discharged. This discharge is due to the draw that is placed on vehicle electrical systems from components that remain active after the car is shut off. Vehicle security systems, computer and sound system memory, body control modules, and a variety of other factory and aftermarket electrical components all contribute to this draw.

Chargers from Optima can help maintain batteries over short or long term storage periods, and even perform battery conditioning maintenance from time to time. This prolongs battery life, and Optima is so confident in it that if an owner purchases a 12 volt Optima battery and a Digital 1200 charger at the same time, Optima will extend the warranty of the battery for an additional 12 months.

So what are you waiting for? Chances are if your battery is more than a few years old, and it’s been sitting in the cold garage all winter long, with your treasured ride unstarted, you probably need a battery anyway. Now you can get a battery and charger or maintainer for free, but only through the end of April 2014. To find out what Optima battery fits your car or truck, check out the Optima website.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/get-a-free-optima-digital-400-with-the-purchase-of-a-battery/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/04/optimaIMG_9011-640x426-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2014/04/optimaIMG_9011-640x426-300x199.jpgHooker Headers Offering Super Comp Rebate Through June 30http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/hooker-headers-offering-super-comp-rebate-through-june-30/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hooker-headers-offering-super-comp-rebate-through-june-30
http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/hooker-headers-offering-super-comp-rebate-through-june-30/#commentsWed, 02 Apr 2014 11:28:49 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/hooker-headers-offering-super-comp-rebate-through-june-30/Spring is finally here for most of the country. For many of us that means we’re in full build mode for our project vehicles to get them ready for the summer driving season. There are all manner of projects that we may be taking on this spring from the simple bolt-on upgrades, to engine or other drivetrain parts swaps, and more.

If upgrading the exhaust is part of your project plans, then you need to check out Hooker for a set of their Super Comp headers. Through June 30, 2014, Hooker will issue a $25 rebate via mail on any retail purchased set of Super Comp headers.

Hooker has Super Comp headers for classic muscle cars and trucks, as well as for a large number of late model applications. These full length headers are available in a variety of configurations for everything from mildly modified cars and trucks, to engines running forced induction and making big power.

Super Comp headers are also available with Hooker’s Metallica Ceramic coating, or with just the plain black paint. The Metallic Ceramic coating helps reduce under hood temperatures and also protects the surface of the header for longer life.

So whether you’re building a new off road trail rig, updating your street car for more power, or looking for some better times at the drag strip, check out a set of Hooker Super Comp headers today, and get a $25 rebate direct from Hooker when you purchase a set of Super Comps before June 30 and mail in the rebate certificate. You can browse the selection of Hooker headers, and other Hooker exhaust products at the Hooker web-site now.

Forgeline has a reputation within the street enthusiast world, and the racing world of making some of the coolest, strongest, and lightest wheels on the market. Forgeline wheels are used on everything from all out track racers that see over 200 MPH, to even some of our own Power Automedia street going project cars.

The company is always developing their products further, and creating new designs, technologies, and looks for their customers. Their most recent new finish is their all new polished and brushed look, which is available for both their three-piece and monoblock wheels.

To achieve this look Forgeline uses a three step process. First either the three-piece center, or monoblock wheel is fully polished. Next the face of the wheel is brushed to remove some of the shine and create a contrasting look to the polished surfaces. Last the wheels receive a protective clear powdercoat to protect the finish.

The result is a beautiful contrast between the surfaces, with a brushed face and a shiny finish on all other surfaces. This is a look that will separate any Forgeline wheels finished in this manner from any other on the street, track, or concourse.

Forgeline machines, and assembles their wheels in their Dayton, Ohio facility, and controls everything from the design, finishing, final inspection, and packaging in-house. This ensures that every customer receives the highest-quality wheels possible. The new polished and brushed finish is no doubt going to be another big hit for Forgeline with their wheels, and is sure to be a topic of conversation for those admiring the wheels on cars they see. For more information check out the Forgeline web-site.

We have used Jiffy-Tite fittings on several occasions with our project cars. They’re valved, quick connect designs make servicing parts like carburetors and other fluid systems easier. With no worry about rounding the hex on fittings that require frequent service the time and hassle saved with their fittings is worth the investment alone.

However, what if you don’t require one of their valved fittings for your application, but still want to reap the benefits of their quick connect system? Jiffy-Tite was on-hand at the PRI show to demonstrate their latest line of hose and fluid line fittings, called the Compact Series. The Compact Series offers the same confidence inspiring fitment as the company’s valved fittings, in a smaller package that still allows for the benefit of their quick-disconnect functionality. “The Compact Series has all of the same features as our valved line, with quick connect, no stripping, no forgetting to tighten, or over-tightening, condensed down into a compact product line,” says Jiffy-Tite’s Duane LaFleur. “These fittings can be used anywhere, and everywhere a fitting would be utilized in a fluid system where valve technology is not a requirement,” says LaFleur.

If you’re unfamiliar with the offerings from Jiffy-Tite, the company offers fluid hose fittings with a quick connect design. This design means that users don’t have to rely on a wrench every time they need to disconnect a line with a Jiffy-Tite fitting. As LaFleur points out as well, “It’s either connected or it’s not” as Jiffy-Tite fittings eliminate any guessing as to weather a fitting is secured tightly enough, by their positive click engagement.

The Jiffy-Tite compact line of fittings will go on sale in early 2014, and will be available in AN sizes ranging from -4 all the way up to -20 and pipe thread from 1/8 to 1-inch male NPT. A variety of seals are also available making the fittings compatible with a wide range of fuel and fluid types.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2013-jiffy-tite-rolls-out-the-compact-series-of-fittings/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/12/PRI-Jiffy-Tite-100-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/12/PRI-Jiffy-Tite-100-300x199.jpgPRI 2013: Dynocom 15,000 Series And The Importance Of Repeatabilityhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2013-dynocom-15000-series-and-the-importance-of-repeatability/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pri-2013-dynocom-15000-series-and-the-importance-of-repeatability
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2013-dynocom-15000-series-and-the-importance-of-repeatability/#commentsTue, 17 Dec 2013 16:13:06 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/?p=198166For racers and tuners, having a dyno that can handle the torque the cars they’re testing put down is imperative. That’s where Dynocom’s 15,000 series dyno comes into play. This dyno is good for 15,000 ft-lbs of torque, 2,400-plus horsepower, and 240-plus mph. It’s also loaded with great features that make it a perfect fit for a variety of different shops.

The 15,000 series from Dynocom featuers:

24-inch rollers

102-inch track width

Four bearing system for dyno rollers

Fernelsa Eddy-current brake

Internal cooling fans

Built in LED lamp.

Safety rollers

“Just getting on the dyno is even easier with the 102-inch track width, the more room you have the easier it is to get the car on the dyno,” says Dynocom’s Allison Blackstein. “The four bearings reduce deflection, and these are Dodge heavy duty industrial bearings, designed for this type of use.”

Software

Dynocom takes a lot of pride in their dyno software system. “Our system is repeatable within one percent so that way the tuner can be able to see all their different data points and the actual gains that they’re making. This allows them to use the dyno to their maximum advantage because they’re able to see and quantify their results,” says Dynocom’s Kyle LeBlanc.

This means that tuners can rely on the data that they’re getting from the dyno, and focus on making adjustments appropriately to their tunes. This also gives them accurate feedback on the changes they’re making, which ultimately can lead to better tuning capability.

Fewer Wires, More Control

Dnyocom also offers some unique hardware, including their recently introduced inductive pickup with boost sensor. This incorporates a boost sensor into the same module as the inductive pickup, meaning there are fewer wires to run under the hood.

The Dynocom handheld controller also offers the ability to operate all dyno functions from a single device, “This means you don’t have to use two separate computers, and makes running the dyno a truly one man operation,” says LeBlanc.

Dynocom offers a vast array of products that fit just about any shop, and any space constraints, including dynos that can be portable. For more information check out the Dynocom web-site or give them a call.

Whether you own a shop, are looking to outfit your home garage, or need a storage solution for your race trailer, Moduline has a a high-quality solution to fit your needs. These high end cabinets were originally designed for the racing industry but have found their way into the garages of enthusiasts and even military applications.

The cabinets have a high-end appearance and at PRI Moduline was showing off their new patent-pending Quick Draw latch system. This ingenious design allows cabinets to be easily opened simply by lifting up on the handle. However, the design also keeps the cabinets securely closed in a situation such as a mobile environment. Individual latches on each side ensure the cabinets stay closed even when the ride gets rough, “In a mobile environment things get jolted, or the cabinet is mounted improperly and one side becomes loose, one side will keep the cabinet shut, from a safety perspective this means everything stays in place,” says Moduline’s Tim Cass. The design also moves the latches all the way to the edges of the drawers allowing Moduline to maximize the available drawer space.

Getting Graphic

Moduline has partnered with Panther Graphics to create custom wraps, should owners desire a unique appearance for their cabinets. This allows for a nearly endless array of options in how the cabinets in a garage, shop or trailer will appear.

Modular System

Moduline is a fully modular storage system that is made up of cabinets, tool storage, closets, and more. “We can configure any system whether it’s six-feet or six-hundred feet, we can customize a cabinet system to fit it,” says Cass. Owners can also choose their countertop type from aluminum, stainless steel, or butcher’s block made by Bally’s in Pennsylvania. Moduline can even incorporate sinks, trash receptacles, and other component into their systems.

Moduline cabinets are made in the USA and the company is focused on customer service and satisfaction. Their storage systems are backed up with a lifetime warranty. For more information visit Moduline’s web site.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2013-moduline-makes-the-storage-solutions-gearheads-want/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/12/Moduline-PRI-102-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/12/Moduline-PRI-thumb618-300x200.jpgPRI 2013: New Dynojet DynoWare RT Dyno Electronics and Softwarehttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2013-new-dynojet-dynoware-rt-dyno-electronics-and-software/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pri-2013-new-dynojet-dynoware-rt-dyno-electronics-and-software
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2013-new-dynojet-dynoware-rt-dyno-electronics-and-software/#commentsSat, 14 Dec 2013 02:15:15 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/?p=197550Dynojet has been a leader in dynamometer technology for a number of years. Tuners around the world rely on their equipment and technology to get results. At this year’s PRI show, Dynojet was showing off their next genearation of dynamometer control systems and software, the new DynoWare RT and PowerCore software.

The main DynoWare RT control module is designed to incorporate more data than ever into the Dynojet PowerCore software. This includes:

Two inductive RPM pickups .

Two optical RPM inputs.

Four Dynojet CAN inputs.

Six DynoWare expansion ports.

Two infrared temperature sensor inputs.

Two atmospheric sensor inputs.

Four independent 0-5 volt analog inputs.

All of this data can be monitored and shown in the PowerCore software. For all wheel drive dyno owners, the unit also has inputs for the links engagement system.

Dynojet has also upgraded their Air/Fuel box to a two input design, and these systems can be daisy chained for monitoring multiple inputs. For XLC dyno models the brake controller has also been upgraded to include an internal temperature sensor, and a more responsive 16 tab tooth pickup.”Overall thew Dynoware RT is better hardware and software than what we had before with the EX version,” says Dynojet’s Carl Chastain.

Software that Shines

We talked with Dynojet Executive Vice President Dan Hourigan about the new PowerCore software WinPEP 8 dyno control, and WinPEP 8 data that offers an array of new features and functionality for dyno owners. “With the new software we can load up to twelve runs at a time, that have up to 32 channels per run, and then do analysis or comparison between each run.” says Hourigan.

The data side of the software displays information in the typical trace view, but it can also be viewed in 3D and table configurations. Hourigan says the alternative views like the table configuration is especially useful for tuners who can compare data from what the vehicle’s computer is requesting or commanding, and what is actually occurring with the car being tuned. “The 3D function would be useful for a variety of things including looking at a VE table and looking for the dips and anomalies, or transitions that may need to be focused on in the tuning,” he added.

Wireless

DynoWare RT also features ethernet connections for wireless communication rather than USB. “The reason why we chose ethernet is it’s terribly reliable, it’s somewhat immune to RFI and EMI interference, and all the dyno network is up in the air. You can actually connect to your dyno, and do everything you can when plugged in, but wirelessly. So you can be in the car, or outside the car in the dynocell and not have wires running into the vehicle or along the floor, etc.,” Hourigan says.

Another main factor in choosing ethernet connectivity according to Hourigan is the amount of data the DynoWare RT electronics is able to communicate back from the dyno. “This thing’s capturing data at such a higher rate relative to the old electronics that we had, that it became imperative that we increased our band-width by about 10 times,” says Hourigan.

This influx of data is due to the design of the new DynoWare RT package. The prior generation EX series electronics had one pickup tab, allowing the system to pickup one data point from the dyno per revolution. DynoWare RT picks up 32 data points per revolution via the 16 tab sensor, which has 32 windows for reporting back information. According to Hourigan this allows for extremely high resolution data.

New Control Interface

The last facet of the PowerCore software we’ll discuss here is the new display for dyno operation. Similar to a dash, operators can set up a number of dyno “gauges” and display them on screen as an analog or digital representation in a variety of configurations. This allows tuners and operators to monitor a variety of dyno inputs, all at once including third party, non-Dynojet info, and even data from an OBD II port on the vehicle.

There’s too many cool new features of the DynoWare RT electronics package, PowerCore software, and WinPEP 8 for us to list here. Be sure to watch the video, and check out Dynojet’s web site. This new equipment will be shipping with new dynos in 2014, and available as an upgrade for existing models as well.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2013-new-dynojet-dynoware-rt-dyno-electronics-and-software/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/12/Dynojet-PRI-100-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/12/Dynojet-PRI-thumb136-300x200.jpgPRI 2013: Canton’s LS-Next Oil Pan and Billet Rail Valve Covershttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2013-cantons-ls-next-oil-pan-and-billet-rail-valve-covers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pri-2013-cantons-ls-next-oil-pan-and-billet-rail-valve-covers
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/pri-coverage/pri-2013-cantons-ls-next-oil-pan-and-billet-rail-valve-covers/#commentsSat, 14 Dec 2013 00:15:28 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/?p=197346Dart’s new LS-Next block is making waves in the performance industry, and this revolutionary new product is going to need some supporting players to help builders and enthusiasts along the way. Working directly with Dart, Canton Racing Products has developed their LS-Next oil pan.

“Dart sent a block to us and we sent a pan to them,” says Canton General Manager, Mike Zeranski Jr. This pan takes advantage of the unskirted block, including both the oil pan rails being inverted. The pan is kicked out and utilizes an oil recovery pouch to capture oil off the block and crank and keep it draining back to the baffling, preventing the oil from getting sling against the block or the side of the pan. “Where Dart has removed the skirt from the block where it was fixed before, we’re able to expand that area [in the oil pan] and give the oil a place to go,” says Zeranski.

The pan is made from 0.100-inch thick aluminum, and is fully TIG welded to prevent leaks and ensure quality construction. The pan Canton is showing at the PRI is a front sump, but they will also have a rear sump and a dry sump version available as well. Part numbers are already in their system and the company is currently accepting pre-orders. Zeranski says the parts should be shipping and available through retailers shortly after the first of the year.

Stable Valve Covers

“We’ve made fabricated valve covers for years, but we wanted a version that was a little more robust for frequently going on and off the engine,” says Zeranski. To that end, Canton has developed a billet rail valve cover design.

The valve covers begin with a 5/16-inch thick billet aluminum, laser-cut rail to help the valve cover seal. The rail is tig-welded to a 0.100-inch thick fabricated aluminum valve cover body. “It’s a very light piece because it’s fabricated, but we’re getting the extra benefit of the machined and lasered rail so you have that extra strength,” says Zeranski.

The Billet Rail valve covers will be released first for small block Chevy, with more popular options to follow, and Zeranski says they haven’t ruled out niche engines either. This product should also be available for ordering shortly after January 1, 2014.

Each year more shops sign up to become SCT dealers around the world. Out of those many shops also look to become SCT Certified Custom Tuners. Perhaps one of the biggest setbacks for some smaller shops in doing this has been the necessary travel to Florida to complete the SCT training program. Since many shops are small operations the travel to Florida and dedicating three working days to complete the class can be nearly impossible or at the very least a financial burden.

Fortunately now there is a solution. SCT is offering their Custom Tuning University in an online program that clients can complete via their home or shop computer. During the training course participants will have a live view of the instructor’s computer on their screen. Participants will be able to listen to the instructor, interact, and ask questions as part of this course. The software also allows each member of the class to be passed control of the instructor’s computer just as they would take turns during the in-person course in Florida. The software is compatible with both PC and Mac computers.

SCT is currently offering these online classes for Ford tuning that range from the beginner level to advanced:

INTRODUCTION TO ADVANTAGE III CUSTOM TUNING SOFTWARE

ADVANTAGE III FORD TUNING THEORY AND CONCEPTS

FORD MAF CALIBRATION

FORD MODIFICATION BASED TUNING & TROUBLESHOOTING

They will be expanding their online offerings to include Dodge/Jeep courses in the very near future. With SCT making it easier than ever for their clients to become authorized tuners there’s little reason why many more shops won’t be able to also become SCT Certified Custom Tuners.

For most of us winter is a time when we plan our next big project, whether it’s building a new engine for next season, or freshening up our current mill. Once we get past Christmas, typically the rush is on to get things going in time for the start of spring testing and the summer race season.

Lunati has recently released their catalog of rotating parts that covers just about every engine build that most modern enthusiasts will undertake. This includes small and big block Chevy, LS, small and big block Ford block, and Modular Ford.

Lunati is offering two variations on their rotating assemblies, either the Voodoo line or their Signature Series. Voodoo cranks are constructed using non-twist 4340 steel. Lightening holes can be found in each rod journal to reduce inertia and increase acceleration. The crank journals have been polished and the crank is nitride treated.

Voodoo rotating assembly.

All Voodoo rotating assemblies include:

Voodoo Crankshaft

Voodoo H-beam connecting rods

ICON Forged Pistons, Pins, and Rings

King or Clevite bearings

Comes fully balanced, ready for installation.

Stepping things up in the catalog is the Signature Series line of crankshafts and rotating assemblies. The Signature series is Lunati’s premium line of components and their Signature series rotating assemblies are designed for major horsepower handling capability.

Signature Series crankshafts are loaded with features. Starting with all the features of the Voodoo crankshafts including a 4340 non-twist steel forging, the Signature Series offers many features that are often only seen on very high-end custom parts.

This includes:

Gun-drilling to reduce the crankshaft mass.

0.125-inch main and rod journal fillets to increase strength.

Machined counterweights for piston clearance.

Fully detailed counterweights that include a contoured wing to reduce windage.

Deep pocket oiling for higher connecting rod oil pressure.

Shot peened.

Deep snout that is fully drilled and tapped, with shallow keyway to increase strength.

Signature Series rotating assemblies come with high end parts to ensure they can handle the high horsepower that racers and enthusiasts demand. Those parts include:

Signature Series Crankshaft.

Premium I or H-beam rods.

Diamond or Mahle Forged Pistons, Pins, and Rings.

King or Clevite Bearings.

Fully Blanced Ready for installation.

There’s much more to see and learn about in the new Lunati rotating assemblies catalog, so be sure to check it out at Lunati’s web site, and get started planning your next engine build today.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/launch-your-engine-build-with-lunatis-rotating-assemblies-catalog/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/12/signature-rotating-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/12/signature-rotating-300x200.jpgSEMA 2013: Dynocom Offers High Quality Affordable Dynamometershttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-dynocom-offers-high-quality-affordable-dynamometers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sema-2013-dynocom-offers-high-quality-affordable-dynamometers
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-dynocom-offers-high-quality-affordable-dynamometers/#commentsFri, 15 Nov 2013 16:18:25 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/?p=195342Dynos have become an integral part of tuning and even diagnosing vehicles. Doing more than just measure horsepower, they can help simulate real world driving conditions, allowing for better drivability when tuning street cars instead of just peak performance. Repair shops are increasingly purchasing dynos for use as diagnostic aides.

For the last decade Dynocom has been offering Dyno systems for shops, including those with a lower budget. In celebration of their upcoming 10th anniversary in 2014, Dynocom is having a blowout sale on their Dyno X, selling the unit for just $10,000. While that may be a hard pill to swallow for some, it is a bargain for a machine of this quality, and is a good fit for some performance shops, and repair facilities, especially those just opening their doors, or looking to invest in a dyno for the first time.

The Dyno X blowout includes Air/Fuel sensor package, software, hardware, tie-downs, etc. A dyno for $10k, sounds too good to be true to most, but rest assured that with the exception of the Eddy Current Brake Dynocom dynos are made in the USA. This includes the patent pending tapered shaft design, and the use of Dodge industrial bearings. There’s even an OBDII interface allowing for data logging of OBDII PIDs.

The Eddy Brake comes from Frenelsa, a European company that specializes in building Eddy Brakes. “We’ve had zero failures with Frenelsa Eddy Brakes in the last ten years, their quality is impeccable and they carry a two year manufacturers warranty,” says Allison Blackstein, Dynocom Director of Sales and Marketing.

Dynocom was also showing off their 5,000 series dyno. This unit has some more features over the Dyno X, including four differential analog outputs, built in stops to prevent a vehicle from “walking” off the dyno in the event straps come loose, Gates kevlar poly-chain GT3 belt. The 5,000 series can also be mounted above the floor, remain portable with a caster and dolly kit, or even be mounted into a trailer. The 5,000 series will handle 1,250 hp and 175 mph, in two wheel drive configuration. In all wheel drive configuration this dyno is good to 2,200 hp, and 155 mph.

These are just two examples of the variety of Dynamometers available from Dynocom, for more check out the Dynocom web-site.

For most of the country winter is a time when project cars get tucked away in the garage for refreshing, updates, upgrades, or to start new builds. If you happen to be an enthusiast planning an engine upgrade this winter, Edelbrock wants to offer you a free 75th anniversary jacket when you a purchase any new pair of their cylinder heads.

From December 1, 2013 until January 31, 2014, Edelbrock will once again hold it’s Heads and Threads promotion. Any new pair of cylinder heads purchased during that period as a pair, part of a power package, or part of a crate engine are eligible for the jacket giveaway.

To get the jacket all you have to do is complete an entry form which can be found here, and submit it, along with the UPC barcode from the boxes, and the original receipt, and send it in to Edelbrock before February 28.

The limited edition jacket features a large Edelbrock 75th Anniversary logo on the back, and small Edelbrock logo on the front. The polyester liner has screen-printed logos from several legendary Edelbrock products on it.

So when you’re not out in the garage swinging wrenches, you can keep warm this winter in style with that new Edelbrock jacket. For the latest details on all Edelbrock promotions or how to get your jacket check out the Edelbrock promotions page, and be sure to send in all your paperwork by February 28, 2014.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/heads-and-threads-gives-edelbrock-customers-a-cool-new-jacket/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/11/heads-threads_thumb.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/11/heads-threads_thumb-300x198.jpgSEMA 2013: The Latest Must-Haves From Koul Toolshttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-the-latest-must-haves-from-koul-tools/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sema-2013-the-latest-must-haves-from-koul-tools
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-the-latest-must-haves-from-koul-tools/#commentsThu, 14 Nov 2013 07:06:18 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-the-latest-must-haves-from-koul-tools/Assembling hoses for an automotive product can literally be painful. Often steel-braided hoses will fray when cut, this can quickly make a mess of your fingers. Push-lock style fittings aren’t much better often requiring a gorilla-like grip, and a fare share of grunting to get the fitting to slide onto the hose.

With over 60 years experience working in the performance industry, Dick Raczuk has always taken the approach of building his own tools when none were available. Holding numerous patents, and even spending a large part of his career with American Honda, Raczuk started Koul Tools nearly a decade ago.

Easy Braided Hose Assembly

“The motorsports industry has been so good to me, that I really do this now to give back to the industry,” says Raczuk. The first and best known tool he developed is the AN Hose Assembly Tool for attaching AN fittings to braided hoses. The design is so simple, yet effective it’s hard to believe no one thought of this before.

The funnel shaped tool holds an AN fitting into position, and even the most frayed of hose ends can be easily twisted into the fitting, reducing waste and putting an end to butchered fingertips. The assembly tools are avaialble for -04 to -16 AN size stainless braided hoses.

Aside from being easy to use Koul Tools are also designed to last, “We’ve sold over 20,000 of these since 2004, and I’ve never had one defect,” Raczuk tells us.”At the 2004 SEMA show when we debuted this I did over 800 installs on one of these, and checked it at the end of the show, it only wore .010-inch, so it’s pretty much a lifetime tool.”

Push-lock Hose Press

Another recent invention of Koul Tools is their EZ-ON Hose Press. This is yet another tool designed out of necessity, While there were a few tools on the market for installing straight push-lock style fittings, there were none available that could do all of the different angles and sizes. Raczuk again went to work and came up with his press design. This Koul Tool allows for quick and easy assembly of push-lock hoses. “It’s made from investment cast steel, this is a tool you would find in a fine machine shop. The handles are solid stainless, and the fittings are brass. We recommend keeping lubrication on this tool and it should virtually last a lifetime I’ve done a thousand installations with this and it still worked,” Raczuk told us of his patent pending machine.

Sure Seat

Soon to be available from Koul Tools is the sure seat tool. Designed for cleaning up flared tubing ends before assembly, Raczuk says the sure seat should help achieve better seals on these delicate fittings. “When you flare a tube, you want to do the same thing you do on engine valves, they need to grind and lap the valves, you should do the same thing with your flared tubing.”

Like the other Koul Tool designs the Sure Seat is simple in design but effective in function. Designed for 37 or 45-degree flares a diamond dust imbedded tool is used to gently lap a flared tubing end and create a clean seat. “Every time we’ve used this tool, there’s virtually 100% no leaks,” says Raczuk. The Sure Seat should be available soon, with pricing to be announced when it goes on sale in 2014.

AN Fitting Repair

If you’ve assembled enough aluminum or steel AN fittings, you’ve likely dropped and damaged one at some point in time, likely by placing a small ding in it that’s enough to prevent a good seal. Koul Tools now has a way to repair that as well with an AN fitting repair tool that’s designed to repair the seat on a damaged AN fitting. This tool has the potential to save hobbyists and builders hours of frustration, days of waiting on new fittings to arrive, and hundreds of dollars over a lifetime of car building. “This is just hand pressure just like lapping your valves, with a small ding or hairline this will save the fitting,,” says Raczuk.

With common sense innovations for enthusiasts and shops alike Koul Tools continues to find new ways to make our lives easier, at an affordable price, with an easy to use solution.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-the-latest-must-haves-from-koul-tools/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/11/Thursday-2013-219-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/11/koul-thumb240-300x200.jpgSEMA 2013: Ingersoll Rand IQV12 Tools Offer Big Power And Ergonomicshttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-ingersoll-rand-iqv12-tools-offer-big-power-and-ergonomics/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sema-2013-ingersoll-rand-iqv12-tools-offer-big-power-and-ergonomics
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-ingersoll-rand-iqv12-tools-offer-big-power-and-ergonomics/#commentsThu, 14 Nov 2013 05:59:23 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/?p=194849Offering the same torque as many of their air-powered counterparts, IR’s new IQV12 series ratchets, impact guns, and screw drivers will soon be in the hands of enthusiasts and professionals alike. The new IQV12 line of power tools from Ingersoll Rand completely changes the way most of us will look at battery powered, cordless tools. “With our 20-volt line we learned a lot about durability and design. We also learned that there’s a need for access that you couldn’t get with the 20 volt design,” says IR’s Josh Johnson.

Starting with screw drivers and drill drivers as well as power ratchets available in 1/4 and 3/8-inch drive, there are even impact guns in quick change, 1/4 and 3/8-inch drive. These tools can be used under the hood, in the house, or outdoors. Johnson tells us the tools are tough too, “These go through six-foot drop tests onto concrete to ensure they’ll stand up in a shop environment.”

Battery packs have always added weight, and through the years we’ve personally used many cordless tools that were significantly heavier than their air-powered counterparts. “It’s not just about how the tool looks, it’s also about how it feels after a full day of use,” says Johnson.

With the IQV12, ergonomics was a big consideration. The tools are not only lightweight but also comfortable to hold, with many featuring trigger mechanisms that can vary speed, rather than simply being an on/off switch. The rubber over-molding on the tools won’t scratch painted surfaces, or slide away. The grips also stand up to virtually all automotive chemicals, even hand cleaner residue which can be very harsh on rubber coverings.

Modern engine compartments are not getting any larger, and technicians as well as enthusiasts have an increasing need to get their power tools into tight spaces. “It’s all about smart design, ergonomic comfortable controls and grips, and providing a rugged tool that works,” says Johnson.

Even the batteries are designed with tactile feedback so users know the battery is engaged. Battery charging time for the two amp hour batteries is only an hour. Run time is dependent on usage and each tool includes two batteries which are interchangeable across the entire IQV12 line.

The IQV12 line from Ingersoll Rand is ideally suited for situations where air tools aren’t practical, available, or just can’t do the job.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-ingersoll-rand-iqv12-tools-offer-big-power-and-ergonomics/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/11/Tuesday-160-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/11/IR-thumb288-300x200.jpgSEMA 2013: New Range of Products From Dakota Digitalhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-new-range-of-products-from-dakota-digital/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sema-2013-new-range-of-products-from-dakota-digital
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-new-range-of-products-from-dakota-digital/#commentsThu, 14 Nov 2013 05:47:01 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-new-range-of-products-from-dakota-digital/Dakota Digital has been on a roll lately releasing several new products over the past year that make fitting a variety of vehicles from street rods and muscle cars to classic trucks and four wheel drives with high tech gauges.We stopped by to take a look at a variety of these new high-tech products and talked with the Dakota Digital’s Scott Johnson about these new products that are making it easier for enthusiasts to both run high-tech new gauges and retrofit newer overdrive transmissions into their classic vehicles.ECD-100The ECD-100 is a product that according to Johnson has been requested by customers for quite some time. What this product allows owners to do is retrofit a newer transmission that uses an electronic speed sensor into an older vehicle and retain the cable driven speedometer. An electric motor within the unit drives the speedometer cable. “We take the signal from the speed sensor and translate that into a mechanical movement so someone wanting to retain that original speedometer and look can do so,” says Johnson.Johnson also says the ECD-100 can also be calibrated to compensate for changes not only due to the gearing of the modern transmission but also for changes in rear differential ring and pinion. “Instead of changing gears in the transmission, owners can push a button, drive a measured mile and the ECD-100 will self-calibrate,” Johnson says.

The ECD-100 received the runner up award for best new product at this year’s SEMA show as well, cementing what we already knew, that this will be an important and popular Dakota Digital product for years to come.

High-Frequency 128k GM Pulse GeneratorAnother cool new item from Dakota Digital is the High-Frequency 128k GM Pulse Generator, part number SEN-01-128. This item is ideal for anyone installing an older GM transmission into a newer vehicle. For instance a TH350 or Powerglide, that lacks provision for a GM high frequency speed sensor. These sensors are often necessary for certain computer control operations, this also makes the part ideal for LS swaps where owners might retain the use of an older transmission. The 7/8-inch female thread on fitting fits all GM transmissions with a mechanical speedometer cable outlet. VHX-1100

The VHX-1100 system is based around Dakota Digital’s popular line of VHX instruments. While Dakota Digital has worked to develop a variety of OE style gauges, there are applications where a direct fit is not yet available or a fitment other than original might be more useful. That’s where the VHX-1100 comes in.With performance and racing enthusiasts in mind, this system offers the benefits, accuracy, and options of the VHX instruments, in a system that can easily be installed in a variety of applications. With multiple styles available, quality stepper motor movements, and the ability to add on additional modules, the VHX-1100 makes a great solution for any number of high performance applications.

1933-1940 Ford Car VHX InstrumentsWhile earlier Ford’s are vastly popular in the street rodding and hot rodding set, the 33-38 Ford cars are gaining ground as an affordable and different alternative. Dakota Digital is now offering two different instrument systems that have a stock style bezel to fit the stock dash openings on 33-34, 35-36 and 37-38 Ford cars. These VHX gauges are available in red or blue lighting with black or silver faces in red, white or blue illumination.. VHX controls bring the gauge technology into the 21st century, while maintaining a classic hot rod appearance.Classic Toyota FJ-40Classic 1962-1984 Toyota FJ owners now have a direct fit solution available as well. Offering an instrument system that updates the looks and function over the original gauges. This new system for FJ’s also works on the VHX package and modernizes the sensor system as well. Now there’s no need to build a custom bezel for aftermarket gauges for an FJ, rework old gauges, or worse cut the dash of that classic four wheel drive.

Climate ControlVintage Air gen-four climate control systems are incredibly popular with the street rod and classic market. Dakota digital is offering a variety of controllers for these systems.The controllers range from a dial style, the DCC-3000, to the DCC-2500, and DCC-2400 which would match other Dakota Digital products installed. These control systems allow owners to set the temperature and they could then set the fan speed to their liking or auto as well as the position the air is moving out of the dash, floor, or defrost. Dakota Digital continues to be on the cutting edge of gauge and control systems and we look forward to seeing what they come up with as they continue to innovate in 2014.

Weighing and scaling a car are important aspects of a race setup. Wether that car is hitting the drag strip, or doing auto cross or road racing, having the weight of the car balanced is important, and Intercomp has been helping racers do that for quite some time.

Intercomp’s latest innovation is their iRaceWeigh system, an interface that sends data from their RS232 equipped scales directly to an iPhone or other iOS equipped device via a secure wireless network. The iRaceWeigh system can send that data to a spreadsheet for further tracking and logging. Scaling data can also be emailed directly from the iOS device.

So let’s say you’re setting up your car for the next race, and you want some advice on chassis setup, you can weigh the car, send the data to your chassis shop, or chassis tuner, and they can give you advice on your setup for the upcoming race (assuming the shop or tuner provides this service). This system represents the next evolution of Intercomp’s wireless scale technology. Intercomp’s Aaron VanHeel tells us “If you have one of our cable scale systems and want some wireless functionality, as long as it has that RS232 output, you can use the iRaceWeigh with it, and now you have wireless communication to your smartphone.”

The company also offers a traditional style wireless scale system, as well as a PC based scale system which can also create spreadsheets and allow racers and crews to track data on their car.

According to Van Heel the PC based version is very popular with drag racers, “The big thing is everyone is running a RacePack or they have aftermarket fuel injection, or some means of data logging, so they already have a laptop PC for their car, this gives them a lot better useability for their scale system, especially with it being wireless.”

“The handy thing with the iRaceWeigh is that most people have a smartphone, so being able to bring the data right back to your phone with the iRaceWeigh is a big advantage.”

The iRaceWeigh and PC Wireless Scale System are available through Intercomp directly, or via their network of dealers.

Carbon fiber continues to make it’s way further into motorsports and into our daily lives. At SEMA, Simpson Performance Products, was showing off their latest carbon fiber helmet, the Venator.

The Venator is extremely lightweight, tipping the scales at just three pounds according to Simpson’s Vice President of Marketing Debbie Bishop. It uses a carbon fiber titanium weave to achieve not only this light weight but incredible strength as well. This helmet has received both the SNELL certification that we typically look for in the USA as well as FIA certification, making it useable in a variety of motorsports. Bishop tells us, “This helmet is designed for any type of motorsports from rally to a drag racing helmet.”

The Venator is also ready to receive a fresh air, or top air system with a removable panel at the top of the helmet for connecting an air system. Inside the helmet racers will find a set of noise canceling ear-cups, making this helmet a nice choice for louder race environments, especially if the driver is spending a lot of time in the car such as a circle track race or other long racing format.

The cheek pads are removable and can be swapped out for a better fit or replaced with a variety of racing radio systems as well. Outside the helmet is ready to accept a HANS device. Size ranges available will be extra-small through extra large, with a medium-large helmet also in the mix, bridging the gap between the two.

The Venator should be priced right in the middle of Simpson’s line of carbon helmets with a starting MSRP of around $1,000 according to Bishop. The Venator will be available for orders sometime in December with shipping from distributors beginning by mid-January.

JRI Shocks was showing off their new JRide system at SEMA this year. The Jride Shock System is an electronically adjustable shock system, that can be adjusted on the fly via a JRI smart phone app.

The JRide system uses electronic system adjusts compression and rebound within one-tenth of a second. This is done by using electronically controlled valves mounted to the shocks. Adjustments can be made to each shock individually, or by linking them all together, or linking them by axle.

The adjustment range is extremely wide due to the design of the control system, and because it’s electronically controlled each adjustment step is even throughout the adjustment range, making for precision adjustments each time. “These are electronically controlled to be even every step of the way so the difference between a one and a two is the same as between and nine and an eight. You never end up in between settings so you always have a nice linear adjustment all the way through the range,” says JRI’s James Wyler.

The smartphone app can save multiple custom settings as defined by customer, so whether owners have JRide installed on a 4×4 or a track day racer they can choose presets based on conditions, easing future setup, and allowing for even more suspension tuning information.

Since JRI already builds shocks for everything from 4x4s, to street cars, racers, and powersports, the JRide system can be adapted to any packaging. Wyler says, “Since we already have the shock packaging for a wide range of applications, the JRide system can be adapted to any application we already build shocks for.”

A byproduct of horsepower is often heat. With many high performance enthusiasts choosing to run forced induction and/or large diameter exhaust systems, and modern engine bays not getting any larger due to automaker’s ongoing quest to save money and reduce weight, heat can be an issue in many situations. Too much heat damages wires, hoses, paint, and other components.

Design Engineering Inc, (DEI) showed us two new products at this year’s SEMA show that are designed to protect other components from high heat. Their Titanium Sleeve can encase a variety of fluid hoses, or sections of wiring harness. The sleeve is made with lava rock incorporated into the fabric, increasing the product’s heat resistance. According to DEI’s Mike Buca the product is good for temperatures up to 1,800 degrees. Buca says, “It’s perfect for fuel lines, wiring, cabling, speedometer cables, pretty much anything that needs heat protection and abrasion protection.”

Pipe Shield

Similar to the Titanium Sleeve product is DEI’s Titanium Pipe Shield. This product comes with stainless steel clamps that allow it to be attached to exhaust pipes that run close to other components or even vehicle paint, adding additional protection. Available in four and six-inch widths, as well as varying lengths. Buca told us, “It’s perfect for down-pipe applications where the pipe gets close to the firewall, or any spot heat protection you may need.”

Both the Titianium Sleeve and Pipe Shield are made without the use of fiberglass, and are safe and easy to handle without the need for special gloves or other considerations.

Interior styling and performance continue to evolve, and customer’s preferences and taste also continue to change. Steering wheels are one area where style, comfort, and function all have to come together. Whether a car is meant for high performance driving, or making the daily commute having something comfortable, that is also good to look at and functional can be key to enjoying the driving experience.

GT Performance Products introduced several new products at the 2013 SEMA show, including several steering wheels designed by a renowned Italian designer. The GT Pro-Touring Apex model, model number 52-4415, is a good looking steering wheel right at home in a variety of vehicles. The Apex features 5mm thick 5086 aluminum spokes riveted to an inner steel channel. The wheel is a 13.75-inch diameter with a 3.5-inch dish. When combined with the other spoke features this wheel is incredibly strong, able to withstand the stress and demands of high performance driving.

The model on display featured a beautiful black Artisan Italian leather wrap. The grip felt extremely comfortable on the display model, and quality was apparent throughout the model. The three bolt mounting pattern was designed for use with any of GT’s hubs or quick release systems.

GT was also showing the Drift model of their Pro-Touring line, model number 52-4316, and 52-4306. This wheel featured an ergonomic suede grip, with colored top marker, 13.75-inch diameter, and 2.75-inch dish.

The Pro-Touring Auto Cross wheel model 54-5815 is aimed squarely at the Pro Touring crowd. With a modular design that allows the grip to be detached, GT’s Rich Barsamain tells us “The grip can be removed and owner’s can have it recovered in any color or material they choose,” this allows for further customization and personalization of the look of the wheel. Additional features include a two-inch dish and 15-inch diameter.

Also new is the GT3 quick release hubs. Barsamian explained, “We went with 2023 aluminum on the casing for this part which is twice the strength of 6061, this offers extreme strength, an incredibly tight fit tolerance, and excellent wear characteristics.It also offers more precise fitment with a part that is taken on and off regularly.” We were impressed with the extremely tight fit of the splines on the quick release system, which offered a sure fit and positive engagement of the parts every time.

Pulse width modulation has been around for nearly two decades in the realm of fuel pump control at the OEM level. This method of controlling an electrical component allows for less stress on electric motors, as well as reducing amperage spikes which leads to less load on the vehicle’s electrical system.

This year at the 2013 SEMA show, Derale introduced their PWM Fan Controller, which takes the often high current loads associated with electric fans and reduces it’s initial spike considerably. This system also reduces the number of components in an electric fan control system.

Pulse width modulation works by rapidly cycling an electrical component hundreds or even thousands of times per second. To some this might sound like higher stress on a component, but it is actually a way to reduce stress on the electrical components, and increase their life since the component is not run at it’s maximum operating level for long periods of time.

The PWM-FC works from a user defined preset temperature and works to maintain that temperature within 3 1/2 degrees of the setting. “It’s signal driven by the temperature and keeps the speed varied,” says Derale’s Troy Wood. The controller varies the fan’s speed and the electric fan motor duty cycle.

Temperature setting is controlled by an adjustment screw. The PWM-FC includes a heat sync case, and is 100-percent made in the USA. The PWM-FC eliminates the need for an additional fan thermostat, fan control relays, or switches by combining all of those functions into a single piece.

The PWM-FC should retail in the $200 neighborhood according to Wood, although the final pricing wasn’t available yet since the part won’t hit retailers until December or possibly January.

Pulse width modulation is changing how electrical components work in the aftermarket, and this new high-tech product from Derale offers great innovation and operation, while simplifying the electrical system under the hood of any vehicle it is installed on.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/sema-coverage/sema-2013-high-tech-derale-pwm-fan-controller/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/11/Tuesday-185-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/11/Tuesday-185-300x199.jpgExtended Battery Warranties From Optima With Charger Purchasehttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/extended-battery-warranties-from-optima-with-charger-purchase/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=extended-battery-warranties-from-optima-with-charger-purchase
http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/extended-battery-warranties-from-optima-with-charger-purchase/#commentsFri, 19 Jul 2013 19:55:06 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/extended-battery-warranties-from-optima-with-charger-purchase/We’ve talked about the advanced features of Optima’s new line of battery chargers before. These chargers can help Optima battery owners maintain their new batteries in peak condition for the long term, even recovering batteries that may have been deeply discharged thanks to special microprocessor circuitry in the charger.

Optima knows their new Digital 400 and Digital 1200 chargers are the perfect tool to compliment their full line of batteries. Because of that, if you purchase a new Optima battery and charger in the same transaction at the Optima web site, they will extend the warranty on your battery for an additional year! That means some batteries could receive up to four years of free replacement protection, that’s not an offer you see happen very often, especially with batteries. There are a few exceptions, and those are for batteries that are used in constant deep cycling situations, or harsh environments, Optima has all the details outlined on their web site.

Get a longer warranty, battery protection, and a charger to fit all your automotive battery needs. Sounds like a pretty good summer deal if you ask us. For more information on what battery fits your car, or what charger is right for your application, check out the Optima Batteries web site.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/extended-battery-warranties-from-optima-with-charger-purchase/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/07/IMG_8993-640x426-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/07/IMG_8993-640x426-300x199.jpgProCharger i-1 Is A Revolution in Supercharginghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/power-adders/procharger-i-1-is-a-revolution-in-supercharging/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=procharger-i-1-is-a-revolution-in-supercharging
http://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/power-adders/procharger-i-1-is-a-revolution-in-supercharging/#commentsWed, 01 May 2013 20:29:24 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/?p=167406In the world of aftermarket performance, terms like revolutionary, and game changer are often thrown around for a wide variety of products. The truth is that while some products earn those titles, seldom does something truly unique come along in this hobby that can live up to it’s promise of standing a market segment on it’s end.

However we can confidently throw those terms around with regard to ProCharger’s latest innovation, the i-1 supercharger system. More than just a new design for late model applications, the i-1 completely changes the way the market will be looking at centrifugal superchargers forever, from a company that has brought many firsts to their market segement

The production version of the i-1 supports up to 900 hp, and in testing has boosted stock Coyote powered Mustangs by 200 hp to the rear tires.

Transmission

The central piece behind the i-1 that is getting the most attention is it’s variable boost control system. For the first time drivers can vary and control the boost output of their supercharger in 500 RPM increments, something not possible before. In fact, until the i-1 came along if more boost was desired, enthusiasts had to break out the wrenches and swap at least one pulley in a supercharger’s belt drive system. While a pulley swap is a fairly straight-forward, bolt-on affair, some swaps may not yield the desired increase in boost until the upper RPM range, a problem that has plagued centrifugal systems for years. The i-1 changes that with it’s dry hybrid-drive transmission system which varies the supercharger drive ratio, thus affecting boost output via a programmable interface.

The i-1 uses a dry hybrid-drive transmission to vary the supercharger ratio, maximizing the potential boost available based on user input.

Driver’s Seat Control

Now with the i-1, owners can control how much boost the engine is getting and when, from the driver’s seat. There are three main settings for the system, Competition, Sport, and Touring, all set from the factory. The competition mode is obviously the most aggressive, with sport being more for street driving, and touring for those long hauls where driver’s might want a little more fuel economy in lieu maximum output.

Owners can change the boost profile via a selector switch, or upgrade to touchscreen control for an additional cost.

The system comes standard with a three position analog switch, but can be upgraded for an additional cost to full touch screen control. The touch screen allows owners to program in additional modes, as well as monitor a variety of supercharger functions.

Compressor

Procharger did not simply build a variable transmission system and then connect it to one of their existing supercharger compressors. The i-1 is the payoff from four years of research and development work, which included developing a new high efficiency compressor. This unique compressor is solely for the i-1. Procharger’s Ken Jones tells us “With a programmable design you can focus the compressor design on peak efficiency, whereas with a fixed ratio compressor you are focusing on a combination of the best efficiency and best boost curve.” The i-1 eliminates the boost curve factor, allowing users to taylor that curve for their application, meaning there is no one size fits all approach to this supercharger. Jones also says that the i-1 compressor is currently the most efficient compressor in the industry.

Power Production

The i-1 shines on both the street and at the track. Jones tells us they’ve handed the keys to some test vehicles over to several distributors and had them drive cars equipped with the i-1. “We had one dealer, who drove a test 2010 Camaro with an i-1 and compared it to Camaros he’d driven with a positive displacement supercharger on them,” that dealer told Jones, “unlike the positive-displacement blower, this thing keeps pulling, the difference is unreal,” the same dealer went on to say “tire companies are going to love you guys”, and that he thought the i-1 was worth every penny of the additional $2,000 cost above a P-1SC-1. Jones reports that racers are seeing an improvement of 2-3 mph in their quarter mile times, an impressive number indeed.

During our conversation Jones also told us that in testing with just 7.5 psi of boost, on a stock 5.0 Coyote powered Mustang, the dyno numbers show an increase of 200 hp to the rear wheels. That’s better than a fifty-percent power output increase over stock. The production system is capable of supporting up to 900 hp.

Availability

ProCharger is targeting the late model performance market with the new i-1 system. These systems are scheduled to begin shipping in late May of 2013, with what is expected to be two of the hottest sellers going out first, the systems for the Camaro SS and the Mustang 5.0 Coyote. In July the LS3 Corvette and 6.2L Ford Raptor systems will begin shipping, followed by systems for the GM V8 trucks in September. Hemi owners will have to wait until November. For those with older platforms right now ProCharger has no plans of going back a large number of model years for i-1 systems. “We already offer a wide selection of great products for the older vehicles out there, so we’re focussing the i-1 more on the late models,” says Jones. With refreshes or brand new models slated to hit for the big three muscle cars in the next few years, as well as the new LT1 equipped Corvette Stingray getting ready to hit showrooms, the ProCharger team will have their hands full with new product development for quite some time.

“The performance efficiency of the i-1 combined with air-to-air intercooling, and programmable control from the cockpit really is an amazing package” says Jones. We’ll be very interested to see the system perform on the street and strip in the coming months, hopefully getting our hands on one to install and test ourselves at some point.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/power-adders/procharger-i-1-is-a-revolution-in-supercharging/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/05/MG2_2370-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/05/MG2_2368-300x200.jpgReviewing Mickey Thompson’s New Street Comp UHP Tirehttp://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/wheels-tires/reviewing-mickey-thompsons-new-street-comp-uhp-tire/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reviewing-mickey-thompsons-new-street-comp-uhp-tire
http://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/wheels-tires/reviewing-mickey-thompsons-new-street-comp-uhp-tire/#commentsFri, 29 Mar 2013 22:22:10 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/wheels-tires/reviewing-mickey-thompsons-new-street-comp-uhp-tire/Today’s modern muscle cars are something to behold. Even the lowly six cylinder models – once only an after thought – now musters over 300 horsepower, which is significantly more than even their V8 predecessors of only a few years ago.

If you drive your muscle car like we do, you’ve probably cycled through your fair share of tires. The high performance tire market is more crowded today than it has ever been. With internet sales challenging local retailers, there are tires available literally from companies worldwide, and finding the right tire for your muscle car, especially a daily driver, can be more confusing than ever. The wrong tires could leave you disappointed with either not enough performance, or the wrong kind for your daily commute.

Mickey Thompson has long been a a leader in tires for race applications, classic muscle car and pro street cars. If you’ve been to a dragstrip, you’ve no doubt seen M/T tires in action. They also offer an extensive line of tires for trucks and off road applications. Now M/T is making a big move in the ultra high performance handling tire market with the M/T Street Comp.

With late model muscle cars all the rage right now in the performance aftermarket, M/T decided it was time to step up and get their share of that action as well. “The modern American muscle car owner has been using our ET Drag, ET Street & ET Street Radial products for years, it was time for Mickey Thompson Tires to put its legendary performance on the streets,” said Don Sneddon of Mickey Thompson.

Mickey Thompson's latest tire offering is one you can put at all four corners of your late model Muscle Car, for wet or dry driving. We tested out a set on our Project Wild E Coyote.

The M/T Street Comp

The modern American muscle var owner has been using our ET Drag, ET Street & ET Street Radial products for years, it was time the Mickey Thompson Tires put its legendary performance on the streets – Don Sneddon

With the goal in mind of creating a high performance street tire for today’s modern muscle cars that could outperform the best the market currently offered, Mickey Thompson pooled its worldwide resources and began development of the Street Comp UHP tire.

It took the company about two years to develop the tire. “We wanted the Street Comp to have all the latest bells and whistles, while paying attention to what true gear heads said they would want in a tire,” said Sneddon. A great deal of technology went into the tire, including borrowing from other already successful M/T products. M/T’s top tire engineers spent months developing the tread design, and proper rubber compound for this tire. The company conducted extensive track testing at their private test facility utilizing the modern modern muscle cars as test mules.

“The Street Comp was developed specifically for the modern American muscle car with performance being the number one goal,” said Sneddon. The tires feature an asymmetric tread design common on many UHP tires. They’re designed to perform in both wet and dry conditions, and have a uniform tire quality grading (UTQG) of 300 AA A. That puts their treadwear in the middle range for the wear rating for most UHP tires.

Stylish lettering and the Mickey Thompson logo make this an attractive looking tire. The Street Comp UHP offers high performance without sacrificing tread life, wet performance, or road noise, making it ideal for daily driven cars like our Wild E Coyote.

Fitments are available for rims from 17 to 20-inches in diameter, and seven and a half to ten inches in width. You can find a complete chart of all the sizes available on the Mickey Thompson Tires web site.

Construction and Design

While this tire draws upon M/T’s extensive experience in developing race, and high performance tires this is not a dedicated track, or DOT race tire. This is a street tire that was designed for performance street cars in daily driving situations, with a design that is intended to maximize both dry and wet traction. The Street Comp UHP also features several elements intended to maximize wear.

The asymmetric design of the tread means that on standard fitments the tires can be cross rotated, or changed side to side. This increases tread life, while reducing irregular wear patterns.

We wanted the Street Comp to have all the latest bells and whistles, while paying attention to what true gear heads said they would want in a tire. – Don Sneddon

The outside tread features large shoulders which help maximize the tire’s cornering ability. The shoulder elements are tied together in pairs to improve traction, and stiffness. The wide circumferential grooves near the center of the tire improves wet traction, and avoid hydroplaning. At the same time the wide center rib improves steering responsiveness.

All of this translates into a tire that will last longer, and handle as well as, if not better than many similar tires on the market. During their testing Mickey Thompson claims that the Street Comp UHP actually beat competitors in lap times. These tests were performed for both wet and dry conditions.

While the lap times sell enthusiasts on performance capabilities, the overall performance of the Street Comp was measured, and compared in testing. There are key real world performance figures that must be taken into consideration for both the street, and track. Components that perform amazingly at the track are often ill suited for the street. M/T was careful in their development of the Street Comp UHP to lean heavily towards the street going aspects of tire design, while maximizing the tires performance.

Testing was broken into wet and dry segments. Key variables in how the test car handled included:

Understanding Tire Ratings

The M/T Street Comp UHP has a Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG), also known as treadwear rating, of 300 AA A.

UTQG is a standard developed by the US government for rating tires, to assist consumers in making a tire purchase. UTQG measures, treadwear, traction, and temperature.

Treadwear is the first number in the rating. In theory, a 300 rated tire should last twice as long as 150 rated tire.

Traction is represented by the second piece of information, in this case AA. Traction is a measurement of how well the tire can stop on a wet surface, this is tested on both asphalt and concrete.

The last grading is temperature. the tire’s ability to dissipate heat.

Wet Testing:

Braking grip

Driving grip

Lateral grip

Off throttle understeer

Off throttle oversteer

On throttle understeer

On throttle oversteer

Controllability

Hydroplaning/Aquaplaning resistance.

Dry Testing:

Steering precision

On-center feel/feedback

On-Center response

Off-Center feel

Off-Center response

Linearity/Progression

Turn In/transient response (emergency lane change maneuver)

Recover/Yaw damping (emergency lane change maneuver)

Twisting with the Coyote

M/T sent us a set of tires for our project Wild E Coyote, 2011 5.0 Mustang. We mounted the 275/40/18’s on all for wheels, installed them on the car, and set out to see exactly what they’re all about. The first thing we noticed is how quiet this tire is. We’ve driven a lot of cars, with a lot of different tire models on Wild E Coyote. Track and high performance tires generally sacrifice comforts like ride harshness and noise for asphalt-scorching performance. That’s not the case with the Street Comp UHP – it is extremely quiet for a high performance tire. Even cruising at interstate speeds they don’t drone or whine, meaning we can still cruise comfortably on our daily commute, but not have to worry about changing tires if we want to hit the autocross, or just go for a spirited weekend drive through the back roads.

We were impressed by the performance of the Street Comp UHP, both in wet and dry conditions, as well as it's quiet nature, great handling capabilities and good looks.

Through the corners, and tight turns these tires respond like those with half the tread life rating; they feel like a tire with a much lower treadwear rating. Due to the stiffer sidewall construction we could run 32 psi in the tires without folding them over on hard turns. Their handling characteristics make our highly modified GT a real hero in the curves.

Even in the rain we can’t fault the Street Comp UHP. Rarely do you find a tire that’s such solid combination of both wet and dry performance. Often tires in this segment are a dream on warm or hot dry tarmac, but a nightmare in the rain. This is not so with the Street Comp UHP. Scary moments are a thing of the past, and Wild E Coyote is safe from dancing with any guard rails.

The Mickey Thompson Street Comp UHP is available for sale now. If you’re looking for a replacement tire or an upgrade for your modern or even classic muscle or high performance car, these definitely deserve strong consideration, especially if that car is a daily driver.

Mickey’s Street Comp tires impressed us on Wild E. Coyote, sticking to the road better than lower treadwear tires we have tested on our Mustang

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/wheels-tires/reviewing-mickey-thompsons-new-street-comp-uhp-tire/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2012/09/IMG_8868-400x266.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2012/09/IMG_8868-300x200.jpgFactory Tour: SPEC Clutcheshttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/factory-tour-spec-clutches/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=factory-tour-spec-clutches
http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/factory-tour-spec-clutches/#commentsWed, 20 Mar 2013 18:04:47 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/factory-tour-spec-clutches/For years, SPEC Clutches has been providing racers and enthusiasts with durable, high performance clutches for everything from small four cylinder engines, to European exotics, drag racing, road course, and truck pulling. We recently came across a video giving viewers and inside look at the company’s Birmingham, Alabama facility. The company manufactures all of their clutch components and flywheels in house at this complex.

All new components start out in the engineering department where they are carefully designed by experienced engineers using CAD software and tested before being put into production.

On the manufacturing floor, all components are balanced individually before being grouped together. They are then balanced together as an assembly to ensure that everything is balanced properly, and will work together. This is demonstrated early on in the video on a GT500 Super Twin clutch. An out of balance clutch assembly can cause vibrations and noise in the drivetrain as well as lead to other problems.

Another fascinating point of quality control is the pressure plate testing station. Here every pressure plate is tested before it goes out the door. They are tested to ensure that the pressure plate is achieving the desired clamping load, actuation pressure, and diaphragm height are all within specification.

Perhaps most fascinating though is the bevy of CNC mills that are creating various components of different clutch systems. We’ve said before that we could state at many CNC mills all day long as they cut and mill their way through various types of metal creating high quality, and highly engineered parts.

SPEC takes pride in the fact that their components are built in the USA and that through strict quality controls they can deliver a high quality product. Check out the shop tour video for more information on what goes into every clutch from SPEC.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/factory-tour-spec-clutches/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/03/SPEC03-400x220.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2013/03/SPEC03-300x165.jpgHorsepower on the Fly with AEM’s AQ-1 Data Logger and Dyno-Shafthttp://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/ignition-electronics-efi/horsepower-on-the-fly-with-aems-aq-1-data-logger-and-dyno-shaft/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=horsepower-on-the-fly-with-aems-aq-1-data-logger-and-dyno-shaft
http://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/ignition-electronics-efi/horsepower-on-the-fly-with-aems-aq-1-data-logger-and-dyno-shaft/#commentsFri, 22 Feb 2013 17:45:45 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/horsepower-on-the-fly-with-aems-aq-1-data-logger-and-dyno-shaft/Data logging use to be something limited to only the world of elite racers. Laptops, stashed on the passenger’s side of the car would record a bevy of information for racers, and crew to decipher. Data loggers were expensive, and often limited in their recording abilities by the laptop they were connected to, as well as compatibility with the sensors installed. Some of the early ones you really did seem to need a PhD to decipher the information as well.

AEM Electronic’s AQ-1 data logger however, offers racers and enthusiasts an affordable data logging system. The AQ-1 is compatible with a variety of OEM, aftermarket and AEM sensors. It can utilize the powerful AEMnet features, allowing compatible components to be daisy chained together. The software as well is straight forward, easy to setup and use.

The AQ-1 comes with the necessary harness for connecting it to a variety of sensors, it also includes a USB cable to connect it to a laptop for setup. All of the AQ-1's inputs are silk screened, which makes wiring easier. We connected the Dyno-Shaft to AEMnet and our Wideband Boost Pressure Failsafe gauge to supply information back to the AQ-1.

We installed the AQ-1 under the driver’s seat of Wild E Coyote. It is important to note that the AQ-1 must be mounted as outlined by AEM in order for its built in accelerometer to function correctly. Aside from our AEMnet connections, we simply had to wire in a power, ground, 12 volt ignition switched, and a switched ground. The system logs data on an SD card, which allows a user to log multiple runs and review the data at the end of the day, or after each pass on a laptop.

We mounted the AQ-1 under the driver's seat following the instructions for proper mounting and orientation.

We connected the following inputs to the AQ-1 from Wild E Coyote:

Wideband and Boost Failsafe Gauge

AEM Dyno-Shaft

We walked through the AQ-1 setup process. The AQ-1 software is simple and straightforward to configure. Much like setting up a new piece of hardware on your home computer, the AQ-1 auto detects devices and inputs connected to it. The proper calibrations must be set and inputs to be logged selected.

Left: The AQ-1 setup process is fairly straightforward. The system will auto-detect items that are connected to it. Right: Once the device has been detected it will show up on the AQ-1 setup screen.

The pressure sensor for boost is then calibrated for the correct readings by AQ-1.

Next the Wideband AFR sensor input is also calibrated to give the correct reading.

The last screen is an overview of which sensors are selected for logging, and also how the AQ-1 is triggered to start a new log. We set this to start logging when battery voltage is 13.5, this is basically anytime the car is started up, allowing us to log a drive to work, or a trip down the drag strip without having to remember to flip on the data logging switch. You can wire a ground switch to one of the digital inputs as a way to control the data logging

What is Dyno-Shaft?

The AEM Dyno-Shaft works by measuring the twist in the driveshaft before the rear differential. -Paul St. Clair

AEM’s Dyno-Shaft is a precision instrument for measuring your car’s output in drag racing, road course, autocross, and even day to day scenarios. The Dyno-Shaft is not a novelty gauge, or another accelerometer, it is a set of laboratory strain gauges that is installed in the car’s driveline.

The Dyno-Shaft installs in place of the driveshaft slip-yoke. There is then a pickup for the Dyno-Shaft that attaches to the transmission tail-shaft housing. This all connects back to the AQ-1 via a single AEMnet connection. There are no batteries in the system you can leave it on your car indefinitely.

How the Dyno-Shaft Works

The heart of the system is this slip yoke which replaces the one on the driveshaft and reads twist in the drivetrain. The sensor will attach over the transmission tailshaft where it will send the information back to our AQ-1 data logger.

The Dyno-Shaft relies on resistance, “It measures the twist in the driveshaft before the rear differential,” according to Paul St. Clair of AEM Electronics. The resistance against the driveshaft is from the tires. As the car is driven on the track or the street, the Dyno-Shaft is measuring how much power is being put through the tires to the surface effectively at any given point. A drop in power shown by the Dyno-Shaft will typically indicate one of two things, either tire spin, or a drop in engine performance.

Drag Racing

The data from the Dyno-Shaft is especially useful in racing applications. By having the Dyno-Shaft and AQ-1 onboard during a day at the drag strip, we can data log and effectively find out how much power from our car the track will hold, given current weather, track, and even car conditions.

When data is reviewed from a run, tire slip shows up via the Dyno-Shaft data as a drop in torque, this is because resistance at the tires has decreased as traction decreased. Racers or enthusiasts can then use that data to assess whether that decrease in traction was due to a track condition, or the car overpowering it’s tires. “There’s only resistance as long as the tires have grip, the torque will drop in your log, and you’ll see where your tires start slipping,” says St. Clair.

Left to Right: The Dyno-Shaft is installed by removing the driveshaft and replacing the slip yoke with the Dyno-Shaft slip yoke You will want to verify that the yoke has the minimum clearance needed to detect the driveshaft's rotation from the housing sensor. The sensor is installed on the transmission tailshaft housing. The driveshaft is then reinstalled, and the input connected to the AQ-1 AEMnet connection.

Tuning with Dyno-Shaft

By having the information that Dyno-Shaft provides, a car’s setup can be adjusted to maximize performance for a wide arrange of conditions. Torque is multiplied by the transmission gear ratios and differential in any car. The Dyno-Shaft can help determine exactly how much torque can be applied to the track by a car’s setup. For example If it’s determined via the data that the tires are spinning at 1,000 lb-ft of torque, then ideally race strategy could be adjusted to get the car to only apply 999 lb-ft of torque. If traction can be quantified as a number then the fastest way to get the car down the track is to apply the maximum amount of torque the track and tires will hold based on the data gathered. Changes that crews and racers might make include add or remove timing, change chassis adjustments, adjust the boost, nitrous, shift point, or launch or shift RPM. The Dyno-shaft can even detect traces of knock from the engine as it temporarily reduces power during a run.

Looking at the data from the AQ-1 we can see where Wild E. Coyote made peak HP of 570 at 6,600 rpm, with an air fuel ratio of 11.43 and 7 psi of boost. The bottom panel shows engine power, while the top shows our RPM, AFR and Boost.

Similar information is shown for peak torque, which is 451 ft-lbs at just over 5,200 rpm. The graph even shows how fat and flat our torque curve is, showing it ramp up significantly starting around 2,200 rpm and staying strong all the way through the run.

There’s only resistance as long as the tires have grip, the torque will drop in your log, and you’ll see where your tires start slipping. – Paul St. Clair

Dyno-Shaft users can also determine if a drop in elapsed time or MPH was a result of driver error, track conditions, or component failure. For example, let’s say ET starts dropping off over the course of a day at the track. The data can be analyzed to determine if the driver is making an error, if track conditions are degrading, or if there is a potential problem with the car. This could save valuable time in the pits making setup adjustments based on guesswork, and instead directing efforts towards resolving problems that will ultimately result in a win for the weekend.

Torque Converter Tuning

Driveshaft speed sensors are nothing new in the world of data logging. The Dyno-Shaft has one built into it as well, eliminating the need for one more additional sensor. Where the Dyno-Shaft differs is that it can also show the torque converter slip for each gear by comparing engine rpm, and driveshaft speed. By using the transmission gear ratios the torque converter slip rate can be calculated from this information. This can be exceptionally valuable in terms of looking at converter performance and converter health.

Further reviewing the data, Dyno-Shaft users can also see not only what RPM the converter stalls and locks at, but also at what torque it’s occuring at as well. This can give you valuable tuning information to provide your transmission or torque converter supplier, further allowing them to fine tune a custom torque converter for a car’s specific needs.

Road Course Tuning

Similar principles apply in road racing, and the Dyno-Shaft may even prove more valuable there when coupled with the AQ-1, and other AEM devices.

Tuning Out Knock With Dyno-Shaft

One of the more interesting results we had with the Dyno-Shaft was the detection of a hole in our torque curve. After looking at our Data St. Clair pointed out that there was a hole in our torque curve occurring just shy of 3,200 rpm, and our air fuel ratio also took a dramatic turn there as well. We suspect the problem is timing related, possibly unheard spark knock occurring. Fixing this problem may improve the car’s performance, and in the long run could save wear on engine parts.

The AQ-1 features a built in accelerometer. After taking a few laps or post race it is possible to look at how much horsepower and how much g-forces the car was producing in various areas of the track. Just as in drag racing, setup changes can be made to adjust the car so that the maximum amount of power for the available grip is used throughout the track.

St. Clair also pointed out, “On a road course, in the straight away you’re basically on a dyno run,” as you shift into fourth gear, the car is essentially making a loaded dyno pull each time it passes through the straight away. This information too could be a critical indicator of overall engine health. An engine might potentially start the race making 500 hp, only to see that power drop as time goes by. Tracking the data with the Dyno-Shaft, and other tools on the AQ-1, this information could be compared to things like coolant and oil temperature, coolant temperature, oil pressure, and even environmental or weather conditions. Knowing that an engine needs attention before it leaves the racer out of the running is yet another valuable asset, potentially saving time and money.

Analyzing the Data

With the AQ-1 ready to go we strapped the car to the chassis dyno and for some comparison between our recorded data and the chassis dyno. We found that the Dyno-Shaft power numbers coincided with the chassis dyno numbers. What this tells us is the Dyno-Shaft is extremely precise, and a valuable tool that we can’t wait to use at the track to see if we can shave a little more ET off of Wild E’s passes, as well as maximize traction and detecting knock, so we don’t lose a round because of tire spin.

Our numbers from the Dynojet chassis dyno would seem to confirm the accuracy of the Dyno-Shaft when the two are compared.

The horsepower and torque data from our AQ-1 in a traditional dyno graph format.

With the Dyno-Shaft now installed in Wild E Coytote we can work on multiple aspects of our total vehicle tune to find the sweet spot for drag racing, or at the auto cross and road course. We’ve already found one potential problem with our tune which if left unchanged has the potential to lead to severe engine damage. Catching problems like this quickly makes the Dyno-Shaft more than pay for itself by saving wear and tear on much more expensive parts like the engine. At the track having a tool like the Dyno-Shaft means that whether you’re racing in the big leagues, or just a weekend bracket racer, you have one more piece of data in your arsenal to maximize your chances at coming away from the weekend with an event win.

Proper control of engine crankcase pressure and oiling can be a significant advantage in terms of horsepower and engine life. While all modern factory engines are equipped with a PCV system, those factory parts seldom do enough. The original equipment system, especially on supercharged, or any modified engine is often inadequate. In nearly every case, there are advantages to properly controlling the vapors and oil that normally escapes back to the engine via the factory PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) system.

Vacuum pumps are another component of the crankcase pressure solution which we will also address in this article. This is a definite area where racers can gain an advantage when allowed by the rules and guidelines set forth. Control of engine oiling is also critical in all high performance applications. By controlling and getting oil in the proper volume to all areas of the engine, parts life can be improved as well as engine performance.

For illustration purposes, even the most mundane street car, can take advantage of Moroso’s Air/oil separator’s on unit.

PCV and It’s Importance

All internal combustion engines generate some type of crankcase pressure in the form of blow-by. Blow-by is combustion gasses that escape past the piston rings. In the early 1960s, General Motors identified crankcase gasses as a source of hydrocarbon emissions. They developed the PCV valve in an effort to help curb these emissions. This was the first real emissions control device placed on a vehicle. While most of us who are performance enthusiasts will roll our eyes when emissions controls are even mentioned, GM actually did the performance world a favor here.

These screenshots from Moroso's video show a factory PCV system in many cases is not up to the task. Side by side you can see the difference in the oil container at the beginning of the video (left) and at the end (right) after only a half-hour drive.

Not only does a properly operating PCV system reduce the overall emissions output of a vehicle while at the same time not sacrificing horsepower, it also has other benefits. It improves gasket seal, and prolongs gasket life by reducing the blow-by effect. Further, it also helps reduce the amount of oil an engine consumes through the combustion cycle, or loses due to leaking seals.

Air-Oil Separators

Moroso Air/Oil Separator for race use. Unlike a street car system, this separator is a stand alone setup and not designed to return any gasses back to the engine.

Not long ago Moroso released a video of one of their air-oil separator systems in action. The separator was placed in-line with the PCV system on a stock Cadillac CTS-V. The car had only 24,000 miles on it, and the test drive lasted about thirty minutes. They included both hard acceleration, and just general cruising like the car would likely see in regular use. You can see several puffs of oil and water vapor enter the clear container that was substituted in place of the aluminum one for this video.

This is further evidence that the factory PCV system on a high-performance, unmodified engine, with low mileage is inadequate. The car’s owner states that after about a week of regular driving there’s typically about 3/4 of an inch of oil in the separator. While this may not sound like a lot, consider how much oil that is over the course of an oil change interval, a period of twelve to sixteen weeks on average.

So every twelve weeks the separator would accumulate about eight inches of oil in its reservoir. The actual volume would vary based on the dimensions of the separator, but that is definitely a substantial amount of engine oil.

Removing this oil mist before it reenters the engine reduces detonation, and deposits on the intake track, including the valves themselves. – Thor Schroeder

Moroso’s Air-Oil Separators plumb directly into the car’s PCV system. Using mesh filter media, they capture the majority of the engine oil that escapes the crankcase and is normally sent back to the engine through the intake. “Removing this oil mist before it reenters the engine reduces detonation, and deposits on the intake track, including the valves themselves,” according to Moroso’s Thor Schroeder.

Most of the separators have a total volume of just under a quart of oil and have a drain valve to allow the collected oil to be cleanly and easily drained into another container. Moroso offers these separators in both a universal style and direct fit for multiple vehicle specific applications. They also offer Air-Oil separators for dry sump and racing applications. These separators work much the same way that their street systems do, however they are designed for car’s running at the track rather than cars that are street driven on a regular basis. These systems do not plumb into the factory PCV system, instead they are stand alone separators.

Moroso Air/Oil Separator for street use. These separators capture vapor and oil that has escaped into the PCV system. They trap the liquid and send the gasses back to the engine keeping the car’s emission system intact while improving engine performance.

Canton Racing Products also builds air-oil separators and chimed in on this subject. Jeff Behuniak of Canton tells us “An air-oil separator is important because it separates the blow-by from the oil in the engine.” Behuniak also pointed out that removing blow-by from the engine is critical to engine oil seal life, especially the crankshaft seals.

Wet or Dry

It’s important to note that we’ll be discussing both wet and dry sump oiling applications. Within those discussions we’ll also be featuring various parts and components of those systems. Both of these systems are used in various high-performance scenarios ranging from street, to full-tilt race applications. For those unfamiliar with the differences or the specific advantages and disadvantages of each, we’ve included some additional information below.

Wet Sump Pumps

Most commonly we recommend an oil pump based on the clearances of the motor.

Wet sump pumps are what is found in the majority of street-duty engines. These pumps are driven off of the crankshaft or a distributor drive-shaft. A wet sump is just that. The oil pan is where all of the oil pickup occurs and where the oil resides in the engine. Oil is drawn from the pickup into the pump and pushed through the filter and into the oil galley passages within the engine casting. This is what lubricates vital engine bearings and components. Oil then returns via other passages to the pan where it resumes the cycle again.

In a wet sump, using the proper oil pump can make a considerable difference in engine output. It was long thought that running a high-volume oil pump was necessary in most high-performance applications. However, as Canton’s, Jeff Behuniak points out, this is not always the case. It all goes back to tolerances within the engine. “Most commonly we recommend an oil pump based on the clearances of the motor. With tight clearances you don’t need a high-volume pump because the void that the oil can fill is only so big. With a loose clearance motor you can use a high-volume oil pump because the amount of oil needed to fill the void is greater.” In a nutshell, matching the pump to a specific engine setup is another area where proper oil control could save you horsepower.

Often, the biggest disadvantage to a wet sump system is the need to keep the pickup covered through oil control. This can become tricky in high-performance or spirited driving. Whether on the street, drag racing at the track, or turning through the corners on an autocross course, high-g loads can cause oil to move away from the pickup and leave the system open to cavitation.

This could potentially starve the engine of oil or at the least cause a drop in oil pressure. The solution is often to switch to a high capacity pan, some of which may even incorporate trap doors or baffles in an effort to trap as much oil around the sump as possible. On the other hand, there is a tradeoff in the form of less available space since those types of oil pans are typically much deeper. As such, a larger, higher capacity pan with more “tricks” to it will often take up more space, and potentially reduce ground clearance.

Dry Sump Systems

How Many Stages?

The number of stages in a dry sump system has a direct influence on several factors. The greater the number of stages, the more oil can be pulled back into the system and directed back into the engine where its needed. Typically, the greater number of stages also means more vacuum when those scavenge stages are not pulling oil, they will be pulling vacuum on the crankcase.

In a dry sump system, the oil still returns to the pan just like a traditional wet sump system. However, it’s immediately pulled away by the scavenge stage of the external oil pump. With no internal pump and no oil to hold, the pan itself is dramatically shallower. A dry sump pump is an external pump which can have one or multiple stages. The scavenge side of the pump pulls oil out of the pan and back to the tank or reservoir. The pressure side of the system then pumps oil into the engine. A typical setup will have one pressure stage and multiple scavenge stages. Other components to a dry sump system will include the drive system, oil tank or reservoir, air/oil separator, filter and oil lines.

A key advantage here is that a dry sump system can be used to direct oil as needed more effectively. Oil does not have to “wait” to make it’s way through the block and to various components. This can improve lubrication to all areas of the engine and also more effectively separates air from the engine oil.

Dry sumps can also more effectively collect and direct oil under all sorts of driving conditions. With a dry sump, the migration of oil in the pan under high-g loads is negated since the oil is collected almost as soon as it returns to the pan. This rapid collection also helps to ensure that the pickup is not starved for oil under such conditions that would cause the engine to suffer a drop in pressure or total lack of lubrication.

A tank or reservoir such as this is where the oil is stored in a dry sump system in lieu of it sitting in the pan.

Another key advantage to dry sump systems would be the shallow pan. By nature, these pans offer increased ground clearance, as well as the option to lower the engine in the chassis.

The collection of oil is also controlled more precisely in a dry sump system. Many systems will run three or more stages (see sidebar to the right). Regardless of the number of stages, there is typically only one pressure stage. The remaining stages are used to scavenge oil back to the reservoir or tank. Usually, the majority of scavenging will occur at the oil pan although some engine builders will also place a scavenge line at the engine valley to prevent oil from pooling there; directing it back through the system as quickly as possible.

The greater number of stages operating, the faster oil is pulled back into the system. This also affects the vacuum, as more stages increase the amount of vacuum being pulled when the system is not pulling oil. The biggest drawback to a dry sump system is often the cost and the available space required.

Sometime in the late 1970s to early 1980s professional engine builders discovered that applying vacuum to the crankcase would in-fact improve engine performance. Wade Moon, from Peterson Fluid Systems, tells us, “Twelve to fourteen inches of vacuum is a pretty safe area to be at.” Vacuum applied at around twelve to fourteen inches of mercury (HG) will improve ring seal, allowing lower tension rings to be utilized.

This also improves oil scavenging, cavitation, and windage, getting oil away from moving parts and back to the pickup faster. Moon went on to tell us “We have had customers tell us they have seen a 35 hp increase pulling fourteen inches of vacuum.” This makes running a vacuum pump on a racing engine that much more appealing.

Moon also pointed out two other key areas to keep in mind when selecting a vacuum pump. Block material is one; an aluminum block can be harder to pull vacuum in. At higher RPM the cylinder walls actually move a little, breaking ring seal which has an impact on overall vacuum. Fuel type is the other area to consider; gasoline or methanol. Methanol powered engines typically have greater blow-by, requiring a larger pump to generate and maintain proper vacuum. This is where it’s important to work with a vacuum pump supplier like Peterson Fluid Systems to select the proper pump setup.

Dry Sumps and Vacuum

With dry sump systems vacuum is applied to the crankcase whenever a scavenge stage is not drawing oil from the system. This means that there is not usually a need for a separate vacuum pump in a dry sump system. “All dry sump pump scavenge stages will move oil and air. Not all scavenge stages are pumping oil all the time, so if there is no oil then they move air,” says Moon. How much vacuum is determined by the pulley selection, design of the pump, number of stages, and the amount of time each stage spends scavenging oil compared to the time it spends creating vacuum. This means that in a dry sump setup, vacuum must be monitored appropriately to ensure that it’s being applied properly throughout the engine’s operating range.

Wet Sumps and Vacuum

With a wet sump system, a separate vacuum pump is necessary or may need to be incorporated into the oil pump should an external pump be utilized. A separate vacuum pump could be added on as an engine accessory, driven off the belt. This vacuum pump would draw crankcase pressure, typically from the oil pan and it’s speed would then dictate the amount of vacuum pulled. The speed would be regulated via the pump’s driven pulley.

Left: Moroso vacuum pump, typical for a wet sump application. Right: You can see how the vacuum pump mounts much like any other engine accessory to be driven by the crankshaft.

General Precautions When Running Vacuum

The proper regulation of vacuum is another area to consider. Some systems will utilize a regulator to control the vacuum. In other cases, engines will have an added vent at the back of the valley providing a controlled bleed off. This vent should be filtered and be of proper size to regulate the engine vacuum. This is essentially a bleed that allows outside air to be introduced, reducing the vacuum affect that the pump has.

In road racing applications, and some drag racing instances where there is frequent throttle fluctuation from changing conditions or “pedaling” the throttle, there may also be a need for a pop-off valve to help relieve built up pressure. Under these circumstances, the engine can actually go from a vacuum situation to a positive pressure situation. Generally, these pop-off valves have one-way operation and are typically placed on the valve cover. They open at a specified pressure and allow crankcase pressure to vent to the atmosphere.

The use of a vacuum regulator, vent, or pop-off valve is often necessary when running crankcase vacuum.

Our Project Blown Z uses a dry sump system for oiling and vacuum.

Wet Sump Precautions

If you choose to run vacuum in a wet sump system there are other areas to take note. The oil pump type, pan volume, and pickup location are even more critical under these circumstances. Since you are applying vacuum to the crankcase itself, you would actually be working against the oil pump. In essence, both pumps are applying a type of suction to the same area of the engine. The vacuum pump is trying to draw air, and the oil pump is trying to draw engine oil. Inevitably, this will cause the oil pump to work harder, operate at lower pressure or even cavitate, which could be detrimental to the longevity of your engine.

The Vacuum Pump Effect With GZ Motorsports

Any properly-built engine can benefit from the addition of a vacuum pump, but the results will vary depending on the amount of blow-by it generates and any air leaks that may be present. For the maximum benefit to be realized, a looser piston ring package is optimum; however, the use of a vacuum pump doesn’t have to be factored into the initial build.

One way to decrease blow-by and increase piston ring seal is to add an aftermarket vacuum pump. Vacuum pumps work by creating negative airflow (vacuum) thereby pulling the air from the crankcase. They are rated by their airflow capacity measured in cubic-feet per minute (CFM) and are available in a variety of sizes. Which pump is right for you depends on your engine combination and variables.

A smaller, naturally aspirated engine will effectively utilize a smaller pump than a larger displacement engine or one that employs power adders such as nitrous, superchargers, or turbo systems. These engines produce higher crankcase pressures and, as such, necessitate a larger pump or greater RPM from a smaller model. A properly sized vacuum pump can net positive results in just about any engine. Your powerplant will enjoy increased ring seal, improved combustion, and less contamination of the intake charge. All of these benefits can improve your engines power output.

If you’re in the planning stages of your engine build, a vacuum pump allows for the use of looser, or low-tension, piston rings. This type of ring produces less friction on the cylinder walls and, as with any part of your performance machine, less friction equals more power. However, it’s important to note when using a standard tension ring package, typically, the horsepower increase won’t be as drastic. Horsepower is usually lower from the pump because of the increased leakage as compared to the low tension ring package.

We placed a 454ci big-block LSx on the dyno, then installed a GZ Motorsports Sportsman pump for additional power. You can read up on our latest GZ Motorsports vacuum pump testing, here.

Ring Seal and Pistons

Ring seal plays a vital part in how your engine uses oil and performs as well. Proper ring seal reduces blow-by, thus decreasing pressure inside the crankcase. Running a vacuum pump in a racing engine, you can actually change to a lower tension ring package, using back cut rings instead of the older style high-tension D-rings. This allows for lower internal friction and an improvement in overall engine performance.

We talked with Gary Meier of JE Pistons about this. Meier tells us “Ideally you want a back cut ring with gas port pistons, the system seals better and is more efficient. If you run with a D-wall ring you are only going to gain a minimum amount of power.”

Meier points out that using gas ported pistons with lateral ports is the best choice. “In the old days, guys would argue that the gas ports would get clogged up and then they weren’t doing any good. These days the fuel is so much better that it has eliminated that argument unless you are running extremely rich or something else is wrong,” says Meier.

Since running a vacuum pump pulls oil away from rotating components and back to the pan, windage is reduced. The more is better approach does not apply to engine vacuum however. Running a high level of vacuum can have an adverse effect on engine life.

While Meier was able to tell us “On a standard 600 hp engine, 22-23 hp is not out of the question with vacuum at around 14-15 inches of mercury.” While some high-end race cars will push beyond those numbers to run over twenty inches of vacuum, these are cars that are generally towed and pushed through the staging lanes and their engines live the majority of their lives either warming up for a race or making a pass at the track.

“Above 14-15 inches of vacuum, you pull too much oil away from the wristpins and cylinder walls,” said Meier. In these cases, the higher end engines will employ measures such as oil squirters to spray the wrist pins, as well as special camshaft squirters, and even other provisions to oil the rocker arms and valvetrain. All of this must be taken into account when running higher levels of vacuum.

While vacuum pumps in the past have been thought of as something for high-end dry sump race engines only, they can also increase the power in a wet sump system as well. Meier recommended this for drag race engines only however. He also stated that the horsepower gains would not be nearly as significant as it would be with a dry sump system. In wet sump systems the expected horsepower gains would be in the neighborhood of 6-12 horsepower.

The same rules apply with regard to running too much vacuum. Peterson Fluid System’s, Wade Moon, pointed out that his company offers a single-stage wet sump external pump with a section on it just for pulling vacuum.

Oil Pans and Accumulators

Obviously we need to touch on these subjects as well when discussing engine oiling and control. We got with Canton’s, Jeff Behuniak, on this subject to discuss the importance of having the proper oil pan and the role other parts can play in many engine applications.

Pans

Having the proper pan is critical for oil control. If the oil pickup is located in the oil pan then the pickup needs to remain covered under all driving conditions. Whether a car is cruising down the road, making a quarter-mile pass at the drag strip, or turning corners on an autocross or road course. Behuniak tells us “In a well designed pan the oil will keep the pickup covered and keep your engine pressure where it needs to be.”

Accumulators

Products such as Canton’s Accusump allow the engine to be “charged’ with oil on cold start, by releasing pressurized oil into the engine prior to ever cranking it. This system can also provide oil to the engine if the oil pressure should drop, allowing for engine oil to continue flowing for several seconds from the Accusump’s reserve, and possibly staving off catastrophic failure.

What’s This All Mean

Setting up an engine’s oiling system with the proper parts and understanding can give you a gain in horsepower, reliability, and a major advantage out on the track. Proper attention to detail must be paid and each component must be matched correctly.

In racing, the difference between the winners and the losers is sometimes only a few thousandths of a second, which in the end could boil down to a couple of horsepower that you saved by paying attention to the small details that may make a big impact. Even running an oil/air separator on your street driven car, especially in boosted applications has multiple advantages and may prolong engine life and reduce the need for repairs in the future. Just like with everything else; research, research, research and you’ll be well on your way to some winning passes.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/engine/tech-crankcase-pressure-control-oil-and-air-control/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2012/12/Two-400x265.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2012/12/Two-300x199.jpgUpdate Your Car Shirt Wardrobe with Gear from SPEC Clutchhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/update-your-car-shirt-wardrobe-with-gear-from-spec-clutch/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=update-your-car-shirt-wardrobe-with-gear-from-spec-clutch
http://www.corvetteonline.com/news/update-your-car-shirt-wardrobe-with-gear-from-spec-clutch/#commentsFri, 04 Jan 2013 23:30:52 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/update-your-car-shirt-wardrobe-with-gear-from-spec-clutch/Car guys (and gals) are always looking for cool new shirts. There may be no more versatile piece of clothing in our wardrobe than the car shirt. We wear them to the cruise night, to the track, while swinging wrenches, hanging out, and sometimes even on dates. With all that versatility and the often harsh environments we wear them in, car shirts often have a short life span. Grease stains, brake dust, and burn holes are a badge of honor, but who wants the embarrassment of changing their oil with a big spaghetti stain on the collar?

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We were particularly fond of said hoody. We also like the SPEC Kung Fu Grip tee, which is sure to remind your competition that you’re not losing today’s match because your clutch is slipping.

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Welding is an essential skill for hardcore and even moderate enthusiasts. Nuts and bolts can only take you so far. Eventually, if you’re serious about customizing and fabrication, you’re going to have to learn to weld. This useful skill will open up new fabrication options for your projects that may have seemed impossible before.

While taking a class or going to a seminar is a good idea, the truth is – with practice, patience, and the proper equipment, you can learn to MIG weld in your garage, on your own. We got together with our friends at Lincoln Electric to find out what you should know to get started in the world of MIG welding.

What Is MIG Welding?

For the purposes of this article we’ll be takings a look at the basics of MIG welding. Although you might know a little bit about the general ideas of welding, or might be familiar with some of the terms, we’ll start from the beginning and get everyone up to speed.

MIG Welding widens your options in terms of repairs and fabrication that you can do on your own.

MIG (Metal Inert Gas) is more properly referred to as GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding), but to keep things simple we’ll stick with MIG welding for this article. MIG is the most commonly used welding process in the world for many reasons: it’s fast, inexpensive, and welders can be easily trained to produce quality work.

With the proper setup and knowledge, even a small MIG welder can handle most repair and basic fabrication needs. This machine will become a go-to tool for everything from fixing your kid’s bicycle, to welding in new floor pans, and repair panels on your project car.

Gas or Flux

Using the Right Gas and Wire

We’ve talked about selecting the correct shielding gas before. It does bare repeating however, if you want to get the best results. Also selecting the wire that matches the material you’re welding is important:

For carbon steel you want to use a mix of 75% Argon, 25% CO2 this is also known as 75/25 in the industry. For this application you’ll also use steel wire.

For best results on stainless you’ll want to use what’s known as Tri-Mix gas. This is a mixture of Argon, CO2 and Helium. You’ll also need to run stainless wire in your machine.

In dealing with aluminum, it is recommended that you run 100% Argon gas. You’ll also run aluminum wire. In this case a spool gun is a good option as it puts the wire right behind the gun and reduces the risk of the fine aluminum wire getting damaged or stuck when feeding from the machine.

This is another area of extreme versatility with MIG welding. In order to get a quality weld, your work must be shielded. The welding process itself does several things. It creates extreme amounts of heat which breakdown chemicals within the air into smaller molecules, these substances can then contaminate the weld.

The process also generates a small electromagnetic field, which can also draw contaminants to the weld. Weld contamination may or may not be visible to the naked eye after a weld is finished. As such, the weld could fail or show signs of failure at a later time. You have two options to help control contamination, use gas or use a flux core wire.

Many of the MIG welders that Lincoln Electric sells will allow you to run either type of shielding. Using gas is a little more costly on the initial investment, it requires that you first source a gas supply or welding supply house to provide you with the proper mix of gas, which is typically a mix of Argon and CO2 for MIG welding carbon steel, aka mild steel.

Flux core welding wire contains a shielding substance within it to protect the weld. The advantage here is better portability as there is no heavy gas tank to haul around with your welder. The disadvantage is the mess, as flux core welding tends to leave more spatter. If you’re working on a farm implement out in the field you may not care about that. However, on an area of a project that will be visible to onlookers or car show judges that spatter will have to be cleaned up.

Safety First

Safety should always be your number one priority in your shop whether you’re a professional builder or just the average enthusiast wrenching in his garage. Trips to the ER are no fun, and trips to the funeral home are even worse. So don’t skimp on yours or your family and friends safety in the name of saving a few bucks.

Can your garage/shop handle the output?

It's difficult to enjoy the fruits of your labor if you can't see them. Protect your eyes and face with a quality welding helmet.

Even small 110 welders draw a lot of amperage/current. With this in mind, you need to be certain that your outlets and your wiring are up to the task. Don’t rely on a circuit breaker to be your saving grace either. We’ve seen home and shop garages that caught fire because the wiring got hot before the breaker tripped, setting fire to insulation and wood framing. This can be more than a bad day, fire is possibly the worst thing that could happen to a car guy and his family.

You can get the equipment to test your 110 system at most hardware stores. If you’re still unsure or you’re planning on using an even higher output welding system, spend the money to have a professional electrician check things out to let you know if it’s time for an upgrade. A dedicated outlet for your welder might not be the cheapest thing to have installed but it will be cheaper than replacing the burnt up wiring, damaged fuse panel, or the whole garage.

What to Wear

This is another area where we see guys skimp all the time. We know welding helmets aren’t cheap, and neither are welding jackets. You see guys all the time on cable TV shows close their eyes and strike a weld. This is really the wrong idea, the light from a MIG welder is brighter than the sun. Not only can this damage your eyes permanently, it can also lead to migraine headaches, and other serious problems.

Lincoln sells all the safety equipment you need bundled into different packages.

Then there’s the spatter. Last time we checked no one likes getting burned or scarred. Protect your eyes, face, hands and the rest of your body with a good helmet, a quality pair of gloves, a welding shirt, jacket or apron, leather shoes or boots, and thick pants or welding chaps.

Avoid Fumes

Welding fumes can present serious health risks. We’re not just talking about making you dizzy, light headed, or nauseous. There are permanent physical and neurological side effects that can result from prolonged exposure to the gasses and fumes generated by welding. You need to work in a well ventilated environment. There should be adequate airflow to provide you with fresh air, however the airflow should not be such that it pulls or pushes away all of your shielding gas. You could employ a high-vacuum, low-volume ventilation system. Lincoln and other companies offer these for production welding outfits, and companies. We would simply suggest that your work area be open, have a small amount of moving air. If you notice an accumulation of fumes take a break and clear the area out for a time by opening more doors or windows and/or switching on fans.

Equipment

If you don’t have a 230 outlet in your garage the 140c is great for what most guys will do at home. Having 230 though will open up your options. -Tom Myers

Whether you are a first time novice or a seasoned professional welder, Lincoln has a machine to cover your welding needs. We’ve presented a great article on this topic to help you choose the right machine for your use. For this article we’d like to mention the Lincoln POWERMIG 140c and POWERMIG 180 series welders. Tom Myers, application engineer for Lincoln Electric, talked with us for this story to delve deeper into the dos and don’ts of MIG welding.

Myers told us “If you don’t have a 230 outlet in your garage the 140c is great for what most guys will do at home. Having 230 though will open up your options.” Either of these would be good choices for a beginner, both offer easy operation and controls, and both can be used with flux core wire or with gas. It’s important to mention as well that as with all tools and equipment, you get what you pay for. There is cheaper equipment on the market, but there are also cheaper cars, cheaper car parts, and cheaper hand tools. Quality equipment can save you time, headaches, and money in the long run.

Machines like the POWERMIG 140c and POWERMIG 180 are not only great entry level equipment, they're also workhorses that will handle most fabrication needs for those of us working out of our home garages.

Other items you may want to consider purchasing aside form what we’ve already talked about:

Grinder for beveling edges or cleaning up the really nasty stuff.

Set of wire brushes for cleaning your work prior to beginning.

Good set of welding pliers.

Welding cart to place your welder on. You could also build this cart if you’re so inclined and resourceful, it might make a good first project to learn on.

Cover or cabinet to store your welder and welding dedicated tools.

Welding stand or table for working on projects that aren’t already attached to a car or something else large. Again, you could build this as a project yourself.

Prep Work

Talking with Tom Myers from Lincoln, we learned that MIG Welding is just like many other automotive projects – quality prep work is essential to achieving the desired outcome in welding. There’s a joke that painting a car is 80% prep work and 20% actual painting. This holds true for welding as well. To achieve effective, and lasting welds, you must prep the materials to be welded properly.

This frame has been repaired with a MIG welder. Notice how clean the metal is in the area where the repairs were performed.

This involves making sure that the surfaces to be welded are clean, free of paint, rust, grease, dirt, or other materials. Cleaning and prep work are where things like a grinder, a wire brush, and compressed air will come in handy. You want to be working with clean, bare metal. Another note here is do not use chemical solvents to prep and clean, unless you are certain that they will not break down into harmful gasses.

Many solvents like brake cleaners, etc. are used widely for cleaning surfaces in auto repair. However some of these cleaners contain chemicals that will be left behind in small traces. Those small trace chemicals can then be broken down further by the welding process, potentially becoming extremely harmful gasses.

We should also mention that not only does the area that you will be welding need to be clean, but also the area where the welding lead will be clamped. You should also make sure that whatever the welding lead (often incorrectly called the ground) is clamped to has sufficient capacity to withstand the electrical current load. This is where working on a welding table can come in handy. A steel welding table can help provide the necessary surface area for the welding lead if you are working with small parts.

Welding

Welding is like any other skill, you probably couldn’t rebuild a carburetor, set the timing on an engine, or even do a simple brake job the first time you wrenched on your own car. It takes time, patience and practice to master.

The worst thing you can do is allow yourself to become angry or frustrated. With patience, it won’t be long before you’ll be taking on those new project ideas, and you’re buddies will probably be begging you to help them out as well.

Machine Setup

The chart on the inside of the POEWRMIG 140c and 180 will guide you to the proper settings for the material you're welding.

Practice makes a good welder. While learning, take note of what you did right and what looks wrong.

Repeat the motion of drawing a lower case letter “e” or “u” as you weld to control your speed and keep the puddle flowing.

Get a book. Keep a reference book in the garage with your welding gear (or print out this guide).

Keep the gun a constant distance from the puddle (about half an inch).

Spread your welds out to control heat and voltage on thin sheet metal like body panels.

Push the gun instead of pulling it, especially while you’re learning.

Use two hands, and stabilize your body, lean on something.

Watch your gas flow. If the gas level drops when you pull the trigger adjust the settings.

Don’t take on too much. Day one welding should be something simple, practice only.

One of the biggest fears of many who have never welded is that they won’t know how to setup their machine. There is plenty to consider, the type of wire to use, including the wire thickness, as well as the material that makes up the wire. A good rule of thumb here is rather simple. Thinner metals will require you to use thinner wire, thicker metals use thicker wire.

The same goes for the wire type (as we listed above), if you’re welding mild steel you will want to use a steel wire, stainless steel, a stainless wire, and aluminum use aluminum wire. This ensures your wire has a melting point as close to your working material as possible and most closely matches it from a metallurgical standpoint.

Amperage and wire speed are also areas of concern that must be properly set for each project. Fortunately, Lincoln has this covered with their welders. Inside the cover on the case of the welder you will find a helpful chart. Using the information in the chart you can properly set your wire speed and electrical output/amperage, based on the material you’re welding and the type of weld (MIG or Flux).

Process

With everything set properly it’s time to weld. Lincoln always recommends practicing on some scrap metal until you get the hang of the controls and technique. One idea we’ve seen is to buy some strips of 3/8-inch or 1/4-inch scrap metal to practice on. Start by just practicing beads on these strips before you ever even try to join two pieces of metal. Just make some passes across the shortest part of the strip.

Using the Best Practices and Top 10 Tips from Lincoln (to the left) – you can begin to become more comfortable with your welding technique and the use of the machine. Play with methods and settings on your welder to find a sweet spot. This is fundamental welding 101, and just like a lot of skills, the strength and quality of your welds will come down to how good you are at the fundamentals.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly – What Makes A Good And A Bad Weld?

Beginners tend to travel too fast and hold the gun too far away. If you travel too fast you get a ropey looking bead.

In the video above Lincoln walks us through some very important trouble shooting techniques for creating a good weld. Bad welds can be the result of any number of causes. Large welding companies have quality controls in place to ensure they have good welds.

As hobbyists we don’t have the luxury of having our work inspected by an engineer, so use your judgement based off what you see and hear during and after. We’ve listed a few examples of good and bad welds below. We’ve also included the above video which covers many of these and other mistakes so that you can see and hear what happens with each one.

Good Weld

Here's an example of a good weld with an even pace and penetration.

Working with the pros at Lincoln we were able to gather some good dos and don’ts. Let’s start with a good MIG weld for illustration purposes. When everything is working right you’ll notice a minimal amount of spatter and sparks. You’ll also hear a rhythmic crackle that occurs at the proper temp. and settings. This sound is almost something that you have to hear in person to understand. A good weld has a clean appereance to it, indicating minimal or no contamination. Discoloration to the work material is minimized as well. It should be solid with no porosity or craters. Good welds tend to have that “stack of dimes” appearance to them as well.

The photo above shows two examples of issues with wire feed speed. The left bead is where the wire feed speed is set too fast. When this occurs you will hear a very fast arching or crackle noise. This is caused by too much wire coming out of the gun for the set voltage. The bead on the right is where the wire feed speed is set too slow. When this occurs during welding the arc has a low slow crackle sound to it. You’ll notice that there is a lot of heat discoloration in this weld, that’s due to the slow speed and high amperage causing discoloration, it can also cause distortion in the metal.

Weld travel speed is another area where beginners often have trouble. The photo above demonstrates too slow a travel speed on the left and too fast a travel speed on the right. When your travel speed is too slow you will typically hear almost no definition to the crackle, almost like a steady noise to the arc rather than the rhythmic pulse that you would normally hear. The bead will be fat (from too much of the puddle building and piling up), have a dull appearance and may also have some craters in it. You can also see with that bead that there is a large amount of heat being put into the work material from the discoloration and dulling of the metal.

The bead on the right of this photo is one where the travel speed is too fast. This is just the opposite of traveling slow. There’s also not much crackling going on with this weld because the travel speed is moving too fast, but the bead has a thin and almost ropey appearance to it. It also does not have adequate heat to cause proper fusion or penetration (rings of heat around the weld) between the welds.

Failure to maintain the proper 3/8-inch wire stick-out distance (distance the wire hangs out from the gun upon starting a weld) is also a common cause of bad welds for beginners. Above we see examples of too far or too close. When “stick-out” is too far the input voltage actually drops, this causes less penetration but also causes the heat to rise as is evident in the discoloration. The welding bead will also have a very convex shape, and be beaded up. When stick-out is too close you can not see your puddle or follow the weld joint very well. You’ll also run the risk of burning back into the welding torch or even putting dents or craters in the weld by bumping into the molten puddle with the torch.

Too Little Shielding Gas

Low or no shielding gas shows signs of contamination.

When you run into low or no shielding gas as the two photos above show you’ll notice several things. First during the weld process you’ll notice a lot of spatter and hear way more crackling than you’re used to. This is when the sparks will really start flying. You’ll also notice your welds are very pourous, they may have lots of pinholes or craters in them. There will also be contamination present. Typically when you see a bead like the one in the left picture there are two possible causes, the first is a lack of shielding gas, the second would be contaminated material.

The Final Word

We’ve only covered the basics of MIG welding so we can begin to master these techniques together. There are obviously entire books and curriculum dedicated to the subject but working with the pros over at Lincoln – these insider tips will get you up to speed quickly. You don’t need a college degree to get started, and you don’t have to be an engineer to figure out how to set up a machine. MIG welding is perhaps the easiest form of welding because it’s also the most versatile.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to get started, a small unit like the PowerMIG 140C will do a lot of work, especially automotive sheet metal. From patching a panel to chopping a top, this skill and the cost of the equipment will pay for themselves in both the dollars saved on paying someone else to do the work, and the satisfaction you’ll get by knowing you did the job yourself. With patience and some practice anyone can learn to MIG weld in their home garage and put this valuable skill to use on their own projects.

Stay tuned for Part 2 as we delve into the world of TIG welding!

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/tech-stories/welding-101-getting-started-with-mig-welding-basics/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2012/12/welding-400x280.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2012/12/welding-300x210.jpgA Look Into The History of Hedman Heddershttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/history/a-look-into-the-history-of-hedman-hedders/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-look-into-the-history-of-hedman-hedders
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/history/a-look-into-the-history-of-hedman-hedders/#commentsFri, 21 Dec 2012 21:16:06 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/a-look-into-the-history-of-hedman-hedders/Every company has a story, and every story a beginning. With the performance industry that story is often much more interesting than with many of today’s corporate conglomerations. Some of the more established companies can trace their roots back to the early days of performance and hot rodding. Many of these companies were founded by a driven individual, a member of that greatest generation, who overcame hell and horror to make it back home. Once here they had all the determination they needed to succeed at whatever path they chose for their lives. One shining example within our industry was Bob Hedman and his company Hedman Hedders.

A worker machines header flanges at Hedman Hedders during the early years.

Bob Hedman had a fascination with modifying and racing cars from an early age. At fourteen he had purchased his first Model T and set out customizing and racing it. Soon after, he would purchase a Model A and eventually swap in a flathead V-8. That fateful move is the triggering event that set young Hedman on a journey where he would eventually pioneer a header and exhaust juggernaut for the street and performance industry.

Hedman had heard that local gas station owner Tommy Ikkadana could build him a set of headers for his engine swap. Ikkadana built headers in the shop behind his gas station, and told Hedman he would cut the tubes but Hedman would have to weld and assemble them himself.

Having just completed a welding course, Hedman had no trouble finishing up the work, and showing it to Ikkadana. Ikkadana saw the talent and ability of young Hedman immediately and offered him a job. With a job established, Hedman quit school and focused on working and racing.

The early days of speed and performance were shunted for several years though as Bob Hedman and many other young men of his generation signed on to fight the Axis powers in Europe and the pacific.

The Post War Scene

Hot rodding and racing were thought of by most of the police and many community groups as a reckless, irresponsible nuisance. Many didn’t understand why young men who had endured hell and survived fighting overseas would come home to later risk their lives at high speed in an automobile.

The post World War II days of racing and car customizing were the early years of our hobby as we know it today. Soldiers returning home from the war were looking for a hobby, and a thrill. This renewed interest in speed and personalization made the 1950s a golden era for racing and customizing. Many firsts were achieved, the salt flats and dry lakes boomed in popularity for top speed runs, and the NHRA was formed.

Returning from the war, Bob Hedman found himself unemployed. Tommy Ikkadana had written him while he was gone to fight the axis; Ikkadana was of Japanese decent and had been placed in an interment camp during the war. His business was confiscated and thus Hedman was left without a job.

Hedman Hedders Timeline

1947 – Began working for Equaflow.

1954 – Bought out Equaflow and began Hedman Hedders as a one-man shop.

Like so many of his generation, Hedman would not be discouraged. He soon found work once again in the exhaust business. Working at Porter Muffler in Hollywood seemed to be another fateful move for Hedman, it was there that he met and developed a business relationship with Sandy Belond.

Belond left Porter Muffler in 1947 to start his own business, Equaflow. Hedman began working at night for his friend Belond and eventually became a full-time partner in the shop.

Birth of an Empire

In 1954 Bob Hedman purchased the other half of Equaflow exhaust from Sandy Belond, and Hedman changed the name to Hedman Muffler and Manufacturing. With a startup crew of somewhere between eight and ten men, most of whom were skilled welders, Hedman’s shop was bustling and soon running two shifts.

Demand for headers was skyrocketing. Hedman had cleverly, and intentionally misspelled “hedders” to associate the product with himself.

This increased demand forced Bob Hedman to do two things with his business. The first of those was to get out of the muffler business, because mufflers were low demand and he had plenty of work building “hedders” to keep him busy. The company name was changed to Hedman Hedders.

Bob Hedman quit racing to keep up with demand for his full line up of Hedders.

The second change would be a harder one. Hedman had gotten into the exhaust business back in those early days with Tommy Ikkadana to help fund his obsession with racing. Racing is what had promoted the Hedman name and helped raise product awareness. Business though, and providing for his family, would dictate that it was time to get out of racing and Bob Hedman stopped racing so he could focus on growing his business and building the best product possible for his customers. The growth and expansion of the company would cause it to move three times over the next twenty years.

Street Savvy

Hedman focused his business primarily on the weekend warrior and street going crowd. His goal was to produce the best header for the average enthusiast looking to get better performance out of his street car.

Hedman actually focused on headers that fit in the engine bay of most cars, and exited the engine bay in what we would today consider a normal fashion. Most of his competitors at the time were more racer oriented, many of their product offerings simply exited out through the side of the car or fender wells. While this was acceptable on a race only vehicle just like today, the street going crowd wanted something with more of an OE level of fitment. This was an untapped market that Hedman was able to corner early on.

An early marketing flyer from Hedman.

During those early years of the performance industry, General Motors introduced the original small-block Chevy motor, affectionately known to many as the mouse. Since the SBC quickly gained favor with hot rodders and speed freaks alike, Hedman teamed with another pioneer in the industry, Vic Edlebrock, to help create some of the first performance parts for the little engine that would become a staple in the performance world. Hedman and Edelbrock were both part of the team that developed the first exhaust system for the SBC. This development fit right in line with Hedman’s emphasis on parts for street going enthusiasts.

Racer Friendly

With his roots in the industry planted in racing, Bob Hedman would not forget about the racers. His business successfully had a two pronged approach and offered headers for racers as well.

Bob’s two sons, Ken and Dick, were working alongside him in the shop, and the boys were both raised working there whenever they weren’t at school. One Hedman brother was always at the shop whenever it was open, and whenever one of their sponsored racers was at the track one of them was always there as well.

Bob Hedman was part of the team that developed the first aftermarket exhaust system for the then new small-block Chevy engine.

During those early years of the NHRA, Pro Stock was the hot ticket class. The company sponsored the Maverick of “Dyno” Don Nicholson. The Hedman brothers decided it would be fun to campaign a car alongside their sponsored racer.

That racing campaign, though, was not meant to be. On their first outing to Indianapolis for the US Nationals, the car, truck and trailer were stolen from the hotel parking lot where the brothers were staying. This was before the young men could even make a pass in their race car. Even worse, the truck had been borrowed from a neighbor so they could make it to the race. Police would eventually find the car, the truck and the trailer, though each was located in a different state – one as far away as Florida. The Hedman brothers decided after the incident at Indy that their endeavors were best left to minding the family business, and sponsoring racers.

Through the years Hedman has sponsored some of the biggest names in Pro Stock. Perhaps the most widely known and longest lasting relationship has been with the Professor himself, Warren Johnson. The Professor’s relationship with Hedman has remained active through the years and has proven mutually beneficial to both racer and sponsor.

An Organization

For those of us that didn’t live through the experience, it’s difficult to imagine the performance world as it was so long ago. There wasn’t online or even telephone ordering yet. While most companies that built speed parts were friends, or at the least friendly competitors, they weren’t aligned as they are today. It would seem that Bob Hedman was set to help play a crucial role in that part of the hobby as well.

In 1963 at the urging of ad man Ed Elliot, Revel Model Corporation and several other speed parts companies, including Hedman, talks about forming a trade organization had begun. These early tentative talks were eventually pushed to a vote by Hedman.

With that vote, the Speed Equipment Manufacturting Association was born. Today we know it as the Specialty Equipment Market Association, or SEMA. The same organization that holds an annual trade show advocates and lobbies for the industry and hobby that we all love.

Moving On

Bob Hedman would go on to retire in 1974, twenty years after founding his company. He left the business in the capable hands of his two sons, Dick and Ken, who continued to run the company until 1979. At that time the two brothers sold the business to Bob Vandergriff and Dick McMullen. Today, Vandergriff is the sole owner of the company.

As odd as it may sound, the best way we have found to keep Hedman prices competitive is by spending money. -Marc Lewis

Bob Hedman believed in keeping business local, and doing things in-house as well. As such, he sourced his raw materials that way. He also kept all aspects of production in-house, refusing to outsource anything. Today the company he founded is still striving to keep jobs here in the USA, and all of its work is done in-house.

The manufacturing world is tough. Whether you’re assembling entire cars or aftermarket parts for cars, the manufacturing world has changed dramatically over the last thirty years. Many companies have outsourced work to other countries in order to remain profitable.

Hedman, however, has strived to keep all of their manufacturing in the USA. This has not been an easy step, especially in the recent economic downturn. “As odd as it may sound, the best way we have found to keep Hedman prices competitive is by spending money,” says Hedman’s Marc Lewis.

Investing In Technology

Spending money has meant investing in new equipment and technology. These investments have allowed Hedman Hedders to streamline their research and development processes as well as manufacturing. This has allowed them to expand their product line and actually reduce costs. This has also meant that the people building the product have been able to keep their jobs.

Hedman is currently in the final phases of a complete upgrade on their four in-house bending machines. Lewis tells us, “It’s like dropping off your road-weary stock ’64 Chevelle at the shop for a frame-off restoration, and getting it back shiny and new, but with an LS3, new suspension, and disc brakes on all four corners, and a killer stereo system,” referring to the bender upgrades.

Left: Historical photo of the benders at Hedman Hedders. Right: The upgraded benders allow for better production, reduced waste, more consistency, tighter tolerances, and the ability to bend 304 stainless.

Each bender has been disassembled and shipped back to their manufacturer. At the manufacturer the benders are then stripped further. They are rebuilt with the latest in CNC bending technology, software, electronic, and hydraulic components. These upgrades are allowing for tighter tolerances than ever before when building the company’s headers. It’s also allowing them to expand into using 304 stainless steel for some of the company’s newest header products.

Past, Present, Future

Since the early days of Bob Hedman and the company’s smaller operations, Hedman Hedders has always made an effort to keep up with the newest vehicle offerings in the performance car segment. Recently this has included the company offering headers for the new Camaro and Challenger models.

Hedman needs to stay on top of the latest trends so we can be first to market with headers that fit these new combinations, without the vehicle owner having to smash and ding their new headers.

The company may be best known though for it’s offerings for muscle cars, and street rods. While it may sound like this is an easy business strategy, Lewis explained to us that, much like the new car products market, the musclecar and street rod market is also one of constant fluctuation.

Various new components are introduced every year for suspension, steering and chassis. Lewis explained that each of these can present a potential for interference with the current header offerings for a particular vehicle. Rather than stubbornly stand by an old product, Hedman has looked to update their designs to reflect these types of changes. “Hedman needs to stay on top of the latest trends so we can be first to market with headers that fit these new combinations, without the vehicle owner having to smash and ding their new headers,” said Lewis. Some aftermarket companies actually work directly with Hedman to either ensure that their products will fit with the company’s current offerings or to develop a new set of headers compatible with a new component.

This photo shows Hedman Hedders being painted long ago. Bob Hedman actually developed the HTC coating that is still used by exhaust manufacturers today.

Once such area where this is apparent is a product the company introduced earlier this year for Tri-Five Chevys. While the Tri-Five has been around for nearly sixty years, enthusiasts and aftermarket companies alike have continued developing speed parts and other improvements for the cars.

It’s no secret that LS engine swaps are the hot ticket these days, and the Tri-Five is the perfect candidate. Hedman saw a need in the market for a product to fit these swaps, and this past June the company introduced headers for doing just that through their Husler Race Hedders division.

Hedman is constantly developing new products like these Tri-Five LS swap headers from Husler Race Hedders, to meet the demands of current trends in the performance industry.

Passing On The Tradition

Much like Bob Hedman, Bob Vandergriff, Sr., is a family man and two of his sons have been raised in and around the Hedman Hedders business. Both started their way at the bottom and worked up over the past two decades, and each of these sons now head operations at different locations within the Hedman Performance group.

Kevin Vandergriff runs the manufacturing plant in Whittier, CA. His responsibilities also include spearheading technological advancements in the company’s manufacturing processes.

Kevin’s brother, Chris, runs the company’s Husler Race Hedders divison in Alpharetta, GA. Chris is a racer himself, giving him the perspective and knowledge to develop parts and communicate with the company’s customers.

With investments in workers here in the USA, as well as investing in new technology, Hedman Hedders is a company steeped in rich tradition and American values. Using their rich and storied history as a guide, and their new investments in technology as the tools, this company will continue to offer products and innovations to customers for many years to come. The company that Bob Hedman started nearly sixty years ago, carries on the same tradition today, and will continue for generations to come.

]]>http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/history/a-look-into-the-history-of-hedman-hedders/feed/0http://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2012/12/hedmanrathumb-400x300.jpghttp://www.corvetteonline.com/image/2012/12/hedmanrathumb-300x225.jpgChoosing the Right Alternator for Your Musclecar or Hot Rodhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/features/choosing-the-right-alternator-for-your-muscle-car-or-hot-rod/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=choosing-the-right-alternator-for-your-muscle-car-or-hot-rod
http://www.corvetteonline.com/features/choosing-the-right-alternator-for-your-muscle-car-or-hot-rod/#commentsThu, 13 Dec 2012 21:52:36 +0000Don Creasonhttp://www.corvetteonline.com/news/choosing-the-right-alternator-for-your-muscle-car-or-hot-rod/Your musclecar’s electrical system was state of the art forty plus years ago but time and technology have taken it’s toll. As such, it’s probably not up to the task of handling today’s modern electrical components. When these cars were originally built, a 60-amp alternator was the largest you could get, if you happened to check the correct box on the order sheet. Today, modern cars often have their smallest alternator sized at 90-amps, and in many cases the minimum is over 100. Attempting to run modern components on an old alternator is a recipe for charging system issues, or worse yet, damaged or failed electrical components.

Upgrading your current alternator is one of the easiest bolt-on enhancements you can make to your musclecar, hot rod or even your daily driver. For any enthusiast who is handy with tools this is typically a simple upgrade on most cars.

Not to leave you in suspense, we got a hold of Powermaster to get the inside scoop on choosing the correct alternator for specific applications. We cover everything from determining the amp load, choosing an alternator, various finishes and what you should expect to upgrade along with the new alternator.

Determining Amp Load

We got together with Powermaster Performance to get the details on how to determine what alternator is best for your vehicle. While you could simply default to the largest alternator available to fit your application, this may not be the most astute choice. Powermaster’s Brady Basner points out, “Amperage is like horsepower, you can’t have too much,” however he also cautions that the bigger the output the larger the alternator. This could cause an issue with a mounting solution, it also often increases the cost, which might put the upgrade out of your budget. “The largest possible alternator will work in any situation, but size and mounting options often make that choice impractical,” said Basner.

Various connector types are available depending on your car's wiring harness.

Wiring and Its Effect On Amps and Voltage

Amperage is like horsepower, you can’t have too much.

For good measure, it’s always wise to upgrade the wiring, especially if the current setup is still running the original wiring. Also, if the wiring has become a tangled mess over it’s lifetime, undergoing numerous repairs, splices and backyard fixes, it may also be time to upgrade.

That said, upgrading the alternator will not affect the car’s wiring. Powermaster quickly points out to consider electrical current much like water. Using this idea, amps are the volume of water, volts are like water pressure, and the wiring acts as the hose or line that carries it all. Having a larger than needed amperage, much like having a reservoir of water, will mean the electrical components can run without a drought. Furthermore, too much voltage is like too much pressure in an old garden hose. Much like the old hose which could bubble or burst under too much pressure, meaning – the factory wiring could fail since it was never intended to carry that much load.

Summing it up, higher voltage can damage wiring and electrical components. More available amps, which is what you get from an alternator upgrade, simply give you more available power when the demand arises. Since upgrading your alternator changes the amperage and not the voltage (on 12-volt systems), installing a higher amperage alternator is not going to cause your musclecar to burn to the ground or your wiring to melt. but having too small of a gauge wire could be the cause of an under powering issue.

How Many Amps

Test Run

All Powermaster alternators include this Proof of Performance card attached. Before an alternator leaves the company’s Chicago facility, it is tested and inspected to ensure that it’s performing properly. Save this card for reference, it could help you diagnose electrical problems if the need arises in the future.

Figuring out the necessary amperage for a vehicle is probably more simple than you think. No matter what duty the vehicle is serving, be it a resto-mod, daily driver or show car, the process for determining amperage is the same. We suggest compiling a list of everything on the car that uses electrical power.

An example of components would include:

Lights

Power windows

Power locks

Gauges

HVAC fan

AC compressor

HVAC blower

Windshield wipers

Stereo components

Radiator electric fan

Other electric fans

Electric water pumps

Computer/ECM

Nitrous system components

It’s important to note here that a race car or street/strip car may have some or all of these components, but may be less likely to use all or many of them in combination. A street driven car, or daily driver however needs to account for all of these items to determine maximum load.

You should be able to refer to the manufacturer of any aftermarket components you’ve installed for their amp draw. However, if that information is not available to you then Powermaster can help you make a safe determination based on their over thirty years of experience in building quality starters and alternators.

Choosing The Right Alternator

When the maximum load is figured out, then add twenty percent to that as a safety buffer. For example; if you’ve calculated the maximum amp load is 80-amps, with a 20% buffer your desired output would be 96-amps. With those numbers in mind, the closest match would be a 100-amp alternator. Running a slightly larger than needed alternator will improve the life of the component as it is not running at 100% all the time. It can also improve belt life, or belt issues, which we will address in a moment.

Case Size and Brackets

The case size of an alternator from Powermaster is directly correlated to the output of the alternator. For example, an 80-amp alternator will have a much smaller case size than a 200-amp unit for the same application.

What this means is that your second step in choosing the proper alternator for your vehicle will be to determine bracket compatibility.

In many cases the OEM bracket may be a suitable mounting point for your alternator but there are however a number of reasons why the original brackets may not work. The mounting points may differ in such a way that the bracket can not be utilized. Interference due to case size could be the other reason. It could also have an interference fitment problem with other components such as the engine block, power steering pump, or air conditioning compressor.

Powermaster offers a variety of case sizes and mounting options.

If you determine that brackets are needed, Powermaster can provide these as well. They have a number of chrome bracket kits for a variety of Chevy applications including small- and big-blocks to suit your particular application. If you can’t find what you need it may have to be sourced elsewhere, or custom-built to suit your particular needs.

Finishes

As Basner states, “This is where the fun starts,” when picking an alternator. Powermaster offers a variety of finish options for their products that should help fit any style of build.

Powermaster also offers several fan and pulley options as well and Powermaster can help you select the correct pulley and fan combinations if you are looking into an aftermarket product to match the rest of your accessories or build. This can ensure that these components properly match the alternator’s operating characteristics such as having a pulley that will allow the alternator to spin at the proper operating RPM.

The One-Wire Solution

Powermaster's alternators are highly detailed and take every aspect of installation into consideration.

A popular upgrade for decades has been a change to a one-wire alternator setup. To simplify hook up and installation, traditionally, a one-wire setup required the engine to rev after startup, which signaled the alternator to turn on and charge, otherwise at idle you’d simply run your battery down.

That is not the case anymore. As Basner tells us, “A high quality one-wire alternator with a regulator and rotor will help give excellent turn on speed and excellent idle output. So whether you’re running an old school hot rod, or just want a simple installation and less wiring to deal with for your musclecar, a one wire alternator is a viable option.”

What Else Needs Upgrading

Aside from upgrading the alternator, and possibly the bracket system there are a few other things that you need to keep in mind when taking on a project such as this.

Charging Wire

A proper charging wire is necessary to carry the current from the alternator to the battery. This is an area where your original wire designed for a low amperage system is definitely not going to work. These charging wires are relatively inexpensive, and should be of a heavy, 4- or 6-gauge wire with a fine strand design.

Amperage (or current) travels over the surface area of a wire. So the greater the surface area the more efficiently it can get to where it’s going. Again thinking of electricity, and power flow as similar to water can be a helpful visualization. Pushing or moving water through a small tube or funnel takes longer than through a larger one. Powermaster can supply you with the proper wire for your system as well as the necessary attachment hardware.

Powermaster offers the proper charging wire for your application if yours is the original size or not up to the task.

Belt System

This could be the biggest area where Powermaster encounters issues when customers upgrade their alternators. It takes more torque to turn a higher output alternator than an original lower output model. “Belt tension on a 63-amp stock GM alternator can be much looser than a 140-amp upgrade,” says Basner.

These photos from Powermaster show examples of the most common belt issues encountered when upgrading your alternator.

Installing a new belt when you upgrade your alternator is an affordable and simple solution and probably something you’ll need to do for maintenance anyway. It’s also important to check your belt tensioner or tensioning system. Misalignment is another area that will affect alternator output. These are other areas that may need attention in the form of upgrade or replacement.

A simple test that Powermaster recommends to check for proper belt tension is to place a socket on the alternator pulley nut, and attempt to rotate the alternator clockwise with the belt at what should be proper tension. Under this test you should be able to rotate the entire accessory drive system and crankshaft (Note: high-compression engines will be more difficult to rotate). If the alternator pulley slips or rotates separately without moving the belt, then there is not enough tension.

Multiple pulley options are available to accommodate your belt system.

What’s It All Mean

Upgrading the alternator on your car is a wise decision. With so many modern conveniences, something as simple as your cell phone charger or GPS unit could be enough to throw a dated, and low output charging system into chaos. This is an easy project on most vehicles and will give you added piece of mind on the road as well as good looks under the hood for years to come.

Crate engines are nothing new, but in the last few years they’ve become quite popular in nearly every type of build. As mom and pop machine shops have dried up around the country, builders and customizers are increasingly turning to crate engines for their horsepower solutions. Today’s crate engines, in many cases, even come with warranties that rival the engine warranty on a new car, making them that much better suited to a street car build.

BluePrint Engines brought out some big guns at this year’s PRI show. The company has introduced a new line of Pro-Series engines, which promise to offer affordable power to their customers.

Horsepower ranges anywhere from 525 to 815 with the big-block Pro Series engine options. Each engine is built with new components and assembled by an individual engine builder. Base engines come as a long block ready to accept your intake, carburetor, and distributor.

Dressed engines are also available and come ready to install in your street rod, show car, musclecar or track warrior right out of the crate. Sweetening the deal even further is the fact that BluePrint offers an unprecedented three year or 50,000-mile warranty on the Pro-Series engine family.

BluePrint was on hand displaying their all-new big-block Chevy block. This block is not a reconditioned or machined used block, it’s an all new casting engineered and built to BluePrint’s exacting specifications. These blocks will be available to customers soon as well. With prices starting at $1,999, it’s hard to beat the value offered by these new blocks.

Pro Series Engine Features:

525-815 hp available depending on engine

Each engine hand-built by a single engine builder

Small- or big-block Chevy or Ford Windsor

Ford displacement 427

Chevy small-block displacement 427 or 454

Chevy big-block displacement 509, 540, 572, 632

Dressed ready to run or base available

Three year, 50,000-mile warranty

Dyno tested before shipping – dyno sheet included

Big-Block Chevy BluePrint Block Features

New block engineered to BluePrint Specifications

Bore spacing 4.250 or 4.600 available

9.8- or 10.2-inch deck height available

Price starting at $1,999

These and other exciting innovations are coming our way for the new year from the crate engine pros over at BluePrint – stay tuned to the BluePrint website or right here for more details.